


Yugi, Harry and the Prisoner of Azkaban

by JoeyTaylor



Series: Clanverse [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, F/M, Gen, Ombre, kari ironhide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 06:13:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 87,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16258334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoeyTaylor/pseuds/JoeyTaylor
Summary: More trouble at Hogwarts, but is it all the fault of Sirius Black?"Who cares about Black? The Shadow Magic is going haywire!" Yami yelled.





	1. Past and Present

Domino Ice Rink, beautiful, calm and, best of all, Kaiba free! Kari skated around the rink, she and her yami where the only ones that came here at this time of the morning, leaving the ice free for what ever she wanted, today she was just venting, Kaiba could be such a jackass sometimes…sometimes? No all the time! Never mind, the vengeance she had planned would be sweet.

Kari jumped and tried a Triple Axle, but messed up the landing and hit the ice hard. She needed her old ice skating coach to be able to pull something like that off ever again. Back in England she'd had a coach, she'd ice skated while Rai had… her twin brother had played rugby for a professional team. Kari felt tears welling up and got back to her feet, she had to get over it, Ombre was her partner, and Kari knew she could rely on the Princess, no matter what, even with Ombre having her own body now.

Ombre was on the ice in seconds, about to skate over and help Kari to her feet, but the hikari didn't need it. She was too stubborn for her own good sometimes. Kari had still to tell her what held her back from letting her move on from the death of her twin brother. As far as Ombre was aware Kari had never told anyone about that night, the memories were locked behind a door that that was hidden in Kari's soul room.

The Princess had seen the door once, Kari had it hidden behind the bookcase in her soul room, but had moved the bookcase and opened it for apparently no reason she could give Ombre, and Ombre had found it when she hadn't been able to sense her hikari sleeping. It led to a second passageway and another soul room where Ombre had found her hikari sleeping, though it looked like the girl had cried herself to sleep.

The other soul room had been dark and cold, bare of life, but yet there had been traces of humans being here. Rugby boots, balls, posts, who ever had had this room had been rugby obsessed, a photo on the side had made Ombre realise who this other room had belonged to, though they'd never spoken spirit to spirit, each of the twins had had a soul room in each other's minds and Kari hadn't erased Rai's soul room to make room for Ombre's she'd just shut Rai's away, where no one could find it but her.

Ombre had picked up the sleeping form of her hikari and watched over her after tucking Kari into the bed in the girl's own soul room, hiding the door again. Kari would face it when she was good and ready, it was no good forcing it on the girl.

An owl pecked at the rain smeared window, snapping Ombre out of her thoughts, Kari was off again, skating around the rink and pulling off moves Ombre knew she'd never hope to pull off as she stepped off the ice. Mana, Kari's Dark Magician Girl, went over and opened the window, letting the soggy owl in. It gave the monster two letters and took a sip of Kari's water and left again, Shadowfae, Ombre's Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, flew out the window and Mana shut the window after them before she passed Ombre the letters. "Kari!"

Kari stopped, Ombre wouldn't disturb her while she was skating unless it was important, Ombre was waving an envelope at her, it could only be one thing if it was owl delivered, it had to be her Hogwarts letter. She skated over and took the envelope, she was right, it was, and Dumbledore had been right again about where she'd be.

How did he do that?

**Miss K Ironhide**

**Domino Ice Rink**

**Domino**

**Japan**

She opened her letter and read it, putting it back down and skating back out onto the ice as the doors opened and a very wet Yugi entered the ice skating rink, his spiked hair drooping, and water running off of his jacket, a sopping wet ball of fur not that far behind, it shook itself off and looked around, Boh had followed his partner. "It's not very…" He trailed off as he watched Kari pull of a Triple Lutz and continue round the rink.

"Nice out there?" Ombre asked, Yugi smiled and shook his head, before wringing his jacket out, "What're you doing up this early anyway? You're not normally up for another three hours."

"Couldn't sleep," Yugi answered, Ombre noticed he wasn't carrying the Millennium Puzzle. "And I didn't want to wake Yami, so I came here, I knew that Kari often comes here at this time of the morning," He sneezed.

"Bless you." Kari said as she passed.

"Thank you," Yugi smiled, "I thought I'd see how you were doing." Yugi pulled a severely soggy envelope out of his pocket and looked at it, noting the emblem on the back, before smiling at Ombre who was waving her Hogwarts letter at him. He nodded and read the address;

**Mr Yugi Muto**

**Out in the rain**

**Pavilion Street**

**Domino**

**Japan**

Kari stopped next to the wall next to Yugi and Ombre, "You haven't slept well since Shadi visited you two."

"What's wrong?" Ombre asked, concerned for the smallest light, "You've not been looking very well either."

"I'm fine, has Kaiba left you alone about your decision to retire from tournament duelling yet?" Yugi asked Kari, changing the subject. Kari growled as she stepped off the ice. "I guess not."

"He says it's just because I lost to Yami in the Quarter Finals but it's really because I don't have time to duel professionally any more, between school and work, my duelling standard has slipped. I'm no longer a match for you, Yugi, you trounce me heavily with that new deck of yours. However, I'm proud to say Ombre's skill has improved." Kari said smiling. Ombre grinned as Kari pulled off her ice skating boots. "By the way Yugi, you have to buy the newest Kaiba Corp game."

"What? Duel Monsters Singster?" Yugi grimaced, "I dunno…"

"You have to, and Yami has to see it, oh and Joey has to buy it too." Kari laughed.

The door opened and Jasmine, the professional ice skating coach, and her skaters walked in, "Kari! Hi!" Jasmine called, "Hi Ombre. Who's your friend? Is that Joey, the boy I've heard so much about?

Yugi blushed, "No," Kari said, laughingly, "This is Yugi, he's one of my best friends, Joey is taller then us, and blonde, you'd know him by sight, I've talked about him often enough."

"Nice to meet you, Yugi." Jasmine turned to him and smiled, "Your friend is one hell of a skater. Hey Kari, do I have any chance of convincing you to leave Kaiba Corp and come skate professionally today?"

"Tempting, since Kaiba won't leave me alone, he's always either bugging me about work or about the fact I gave up duelling professionally." Kari smiled slightly.

"Well, will you just help me with a demonstration today before you go?" Ellie, the youngest skater, smiled up at her and Kari started. They'd all grown, and she hadn't noticed, she guessed that spending two years as her younger self had made her realised just had much her real form had grown. The entire group had grown.

"Alright." She said, smiling. She put her boots back on and joined Jasmine, Ellie, Sophie and Rachelle on the ice. She looked over to Ombre and Yugi and smiled.

She wondered if Yugi was aware he'd grown to about the height Yami had been before they'd gone to Hogwarts, though he still hadn't caught up with the Pharaoh, who'd grown over the two years too, and now Yugi's voice had broken, causing great hilarity over the summer, it was really quite funny, Yami and Yugi's voices were almost identical now, and their friends kept getting them mixed up over the phone.

"Kari?"

"Huh?"

The three of them walked out of the ice skating rink an hour later, "What did you and Yami send Harry for his birthday?" Ombre asked, as they walked back to Kari's car. Yugi and Ombre got into a lengthy conversation as Kari's phone rang.

As she got off the phone Yugi turned to her and smiled, "So why do you want us to buy the game?" he asked.

* * *

"Is he still laughing?" Kari asked as Yugi struggled to make himself heard over the phone, Yami laughing loudly in the background. "When did you guys unlock it?"

"An hour ago, Yami hasn't stopped laughing since." Yugi said, "Joey's unlocked it too."

"I know." Kari grinned, though Yugi couldn't see her, "He was happy he had a better singing voice then…"

"IRONHIDE!" Kaiba roared.

"Uh oh, Gotta go Yugi, see you at the airport tomorrow."

"Bye Kari… Yami…" The line went dead as Yugi started trying to talk to his other half.

"Ironhide!" Kaiba stormed as he came into the room, "Do you have any idea why your mangy mutt of a boyfriend keeps phoning me and singing the chorus of 'You're not me' then laughing his head off?"

"No idea." Kari said, laughter in her eyes but not a trace of it on her face.

"You're a really bad liar, unless you're duelling." Kaiba snorted.

"I don't know what you mean, Mr Kaiba, sir." Kari said, backing away slowly.

"I know you know why, and I'm going to find out." Kaiba said, worryingly calm. "Go back to your workstation and finish downloading the work to your laptop, after we fly out tomorrow you won't get a chance to use your workstation again until June."

' _Uh oh! What's he planning?'_ Kari thought as she turned to go. She heard Kaiba talk to someone.

"What do you mean an intruder?" Kaiba growled, "Where's my security? Out… cold? One man? Bit… of… stick… What does he look like?" Kaiba snarled as he heard the description, he wheeled around to Kari.

"Do you have your wand on you?" He snarled, pulling his out of his trench coat. Kari nodded and drew hers out from her jacket's inner pocket.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"Malfoy Senior." Kari growled, that man was persistent she had to give him that. "What floor is he on?" Kaiba snapped into the microphone built into his white trench coat. "What do you mean he's in the VR Department!" Kaiba was snarling again, Kari blanched, all of her workers were still there, she'd just finished her late lunch break. Kaiba strode out of the door and Kari rushed after him.

They reached the VR Department, which had been vacated quickly, though there were a couple of people who were unconscious. "Malfoy!" Kaiba snarled. The man turned on them, his wand pointed at Kaiba's chest.

"You've ruined my family! You've ruined our lives!" Malfoy snarled back, "And you'll pay!" Kari was suddenly aware of the sheer volume of people holding wands that had appeared from nowhere. "Avada Kedavra!"

Kari reacted quickly, knocking Kaiba off of his feet, and the spell passed over their heads. "Stupify!" Kari shouted, her voice mingling with others that came from the adults that had been behind them. Lucius Malfoy was knocked backwards and hit one of the computer panels, falling to the floor unconscious. "Seto!" Kari called, "You alright?"

"…" Kaiba didn't answer, he wondered if Ironhide was aware she'd called him Seto.

"Seto?" Kari asked, getting up.

"I want to know how he got in here!" Kaiba snarled, not particularly at her, but out of anger and frustration. He got to his feet and dusted off his trench coat.

"Mr Kaiba, Sir." One of the Japanese wizards addressed him, he recognised him as one of the wizard staff he'd taken on last Summer. "These people," He pointed out the ones who were taking Lucius Malfoy into custody, "Are from the Japanese Ministry of Magic."

"Japanese…" Kari trailed off.

"Yes." One of the Ministry Officers said, walking over, "He'll go to prison, the use of an unforgivable curse is a one way ticket."

 _Unforgivable?_ Kaiba thought. He saw Kari nod and decided he'd find out from her. Kaiba looked around; the VR Department looked like the mutt had hit it during one of his temper tantrums. Kari growled as she looked around her department, but she was glad that no lives had been lost, as the wizards pulled out.

"Ironhide…" Kaiba growled softly once it was only them left, any muggle who'd seen the incident had had their memories wiped, "Which unforgivable curse was that?"

"Avada Kedavra, the killing curse." Kari said softly, then she smirked, she knew something Kaiba hadn't.

"I wouldn't look too smug if I were you, you still have to clean up this mess and finish the urgent work before tomorrow." Kaiba smirked as Kari swore in English under her breath but he had a question that he wasn't sure he wanted to ask. Why did she save him?

"Ironhide…?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Never mind."

* * *

"Harry!" Joey called as they piled into the Leaky Cauldron late the next day, Kaiba and Mokuba trailed in last, followed by the monsters, the barkeeper sighed. Whenever the exchange students stayed it always looked like a safari park had come into town.

Kaiba was giving death glares to Yami and Joey, while Ombre was hanging onto Kari like a little lost sheep dog.

"Hey guys," Harry said, looking at the entire group, "Kaiba annoyed with you again?"

Yami smirked evilly. "Yeap."

"We'll tell you why once we're settled in." Joey laughed, waving a tape recorder. Kari smiled and she and Ombre walked over to the bar. Yugi and Harry started talking.

"Did you hear about Lucius Malfoy?" Harry asked, the papers had said that he'd been arrested and thrown in prison in Japan. Yugi's cheerfulness faded.

"Yes…" Yugi said and explained what Kari had told them. Harry looked startled and looked over to Kari and Kaiba.

"Kari saved Kaiba's life?" Harry confirmed as Yugi finished.

"Yeah," Yugi nodded, "But I don't think Kaiba knows why."

While the others weren't looking Yami looked in his wallet. Yugi had made him promise to use the tournament winnings to buy himself a new broomstick, since he'd been using Kari's broomstick last Hogwarts year, and his school supplies, but that meant Yugi barely had any money for books and supplies himself.

Kaiba noticed Yami counting and snorted, he wasn't as oblivious to the state of the Muto household as everyone assumed he was. He also knew Yami would send him to the Shadow Realm if he even attempted to aggravate Yugi about the fact he barely had any money this year. He wasn't stupid either, so he wisely kept his mouth shut. He wondered how much money Kari had, considering it had to pay for two people this year, not just one.

"Yami?" Yugi asked, as Yami shut his wallet.

"Huh?"

"Alright spill it, what's wrong?" Yugi asked.

"It's nothing, I'm fine."

"Come on, I know you. You're worried about something and you don't want to tell me." Yugi sighed.

"It's nothing." Yami lied. Yugi stared at him, _Uh oh!_ Yami thought privately, _I know that look, help someone, anyone, cutsie eyes of doom alert._

"You can tell me." Yugi said, Yami tried to look elsewhere, anywhere else but at Yugi as Mahado laughed at Yami's expense, the Dark Magician had learnt over the Summer that if Yugi pulled that trick then no one could resist. Boh bounced over to Harry who smiled and stroked the fuzzball.

"Yugi!" Joey called, distracting the small teenager and giving Yami a chance to get away. Yugi pouted and went over to Joey, who was about to play the tape for Harry since Kaiba had gone up to his and Mokuba's rooms. Harry listened and couldn't help but laugh as he heard Kari's recording of Kaiba's singing.

"He's terrible." Harry laughed as Kaiba's voice mutilated the chorus of 'You're not me.'

"I know," Joey laughed, "Hey Yami!" Yami came over, "You don't need to send Bakura to the Shadow Realm, just tie him to a chair and force him to listen to Kaiba singing," Joey couldn't stop laughing, "He'd soon give up." That set the rest of the group off and they spent the rest of the night just talking and duelling. Harry asked if another incident had happened with the dragons, "In all honesty we haven't seen much of our dragons all Summer, they've gotten very good at hiding from us, and they've taken to blocking us out when they want some privacy." Harry laughed.

Yugi and Yami were surprised to find that Harry had started buying the Wizards Duel Monsters cards that Kaiba had started developing last Summer and released this Summer, once he'd gotten to Diagon Alley. Harry also told them about his aunt…

"You didn't?" Kari laughed.

"I did." Harry said solemnly, Yami laughed hard while Ombre fought to keep her response to a smirk.

"Shame we couldn't visit, that sounds like fun." Kari said, she yawned and Ombre smiled at her.

"Come on you," She said, pushing Kari up the stairs, "Bed!" It was an order. Yami caught Yugi yawning next and pushed him up the stairs too. The rest slowly drifted up to bed, Joey was last to bed, only heading up when his dragon grabbed his shirt in its teeth and pulled him up the stairs.

"Look at it." Harry said the next day as they stared through the window of 'Quality Qudditch Supplies' at the newest broomstick, "the Firebolt." Harry said in barely more then a whisper.

Yami, Yugi and Harry all drooled over the broomstick, though Yami wasn't sure if he was envious of it, or if he wanted to run from it, screaming. He saw the look Yugi was giving it, and was ashamed that he couldn't afford to buy it for his partner.

"It's not the broom but the person who's using it." Kaiba stated. "You have to be sure of yourself before you get a broom that fast, none of you lot are good enough."

"Excuse you!" Yami snapped.

"You heard me!" Kaiba snarled.

"Yami." Yugi tugged on the Pharaoh's sleeve, stopping an argument before it started. "You have to go in, you need your own broom, remember." Yami nodded and entered the broom shop.

"Hi!" The shop keeper called, "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a new broomstick, suitable for playing Qudditch as a Seeker."

"A Seeker you say, which house?" The shop owner called as he looked over his brooms.

"Gryffindor."

"Well it depends how much you've got to spend." The bell on the door rang and Kaiba walked in.

"Just get him a Nimbus 2000," Kaiba said, "It's the same broom all your friends are flying." Kaiba glared at Yami, daring him to say something. "And get me one too." Kaiba turned to Yami, "I don't want to beat you just because I can afford better equipment, I want everyone to know who's the better flyer." Kaiba seemed like he was explaining himself, but Kaiba wouldn't do that, would he?

Kaiba monopolised the clerk, and paid for both, without letting Yami get a word in edgeways. When they left the shop Kaiba wore one of his superior smiles and Yami was looking completely confused. "Yami?" Yugi asked, "Are you alright?" Yami nodded, still confused as to what had just happened.

"Why is he being sorta nice to Yami?" Harry whispered to the group as Kaiba went off on his own.

Joey shook his head, "Well he's being sorta nice to all of us, he's only threatened me twice today."

"Quick, Joey, you better do something otherwise the world might turn upside down." Kari said, confused.

"Yeah, cause Kaiba being sorta nice is just too weird." Ombre continued.

"He might be acting nicer, but he's still a jerk." Kari whispered. She looked around, she felt guilty for saying it, and knowing her boss, he'd find out. No one was paying attention, but she felt that he'd know that she'd know that he'd know what she'd said.

' _That doesn't make sense, Kari.'_ Ombre said down the mind link. Kari laughed out loud.

" _That wasn't meant to be loud enough to be heard, sorry."_ Kari smiled.

' _It still doesn't make sense.'_


	2. Sirius Black

The last few days slipped by quickly, the group were sat outside of a café run by wizards, Yugi and Yami were duelling each other while Joey and Seto yelled at each other in Japanese. Kari, Ombre and Mokuba were watching both fights. Ron and Hermione made their way down from the ice cream parlour, to the café, having heard the two boys seven doors down.

"CUT IT OUT!" Kari yelled in Japanese, finally putting herself between her boyfriend and her boss. "If you two don't cut it out, you," She snapped at Joey, "Won't be getting any for the next year, and you," She snapped at Kaiba, still in Japanese, so Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't understand, "Won't get that spell work done on your new batch of cards for distribution at Hogwarts."

"What did she say?" Harry asked as the two boys stopped fighting and it sounded like Joey apologised to Kari quickly.

"She threatened them, with…" Ombre said, "Uhhh, things, to make them stop fighting." Kari turned away from both boys and smiled at Ron and Hermione.

"Hi guys." She said smiling; Ombre stared at her, what was with the mood swing?

"How'd you…?" Hermione asked Kari, well aware that normally it would take nothing less then Shadow Magic to separate the two boys.

"You just have to know where to hit them." Kari smirked evilly. Joey gulped and Kaiba paled. "Ombre, come on." She said, dragging her yami off into the crowd, her voice trailing into the distance. "I want some ice cream."

"Scary." Yami said, wishing she'd watched what she'd said around his hikari, though some of the language Joey and Kaiba had been spouting had been worse. "Yugi… it's still your move."

"I… I…" Yugi was still slightly stunned from Kari's outburst. "Uhhh, yeah. Sure. I play Silent Swordsman in attack mode and a card face down, it's your move."

Yami and Yugi were off again as they talked about their Summer, Yami was distracted again by Ron waving a piece of newspaper under his nose. Yami snatched it and read it, his face becoming unreadable. He didn't finish the duel but just snatched up his deck and walked away from the table, Yugi caught the piece of news and looked it over. "Oh…" Yugi said, his face pale, then chased after his dark half.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked.

"Egypt..." Joey sighed. "Yami been fighting with himself all summer. Both he and Ombre really need to go there, all the clues to their past lead there but..."

"Yami?" Yugi called, losing the Pharaoh in the crowd, _'Yami?'_ Yami ignored him, pushing his way though the crowds of people. _'Yami, please, wait up.'_ Yugi desperately called, "Excuse me!" Yugi said as he squeezed his way through the crowd losing Yami as he did so. He saw a fuzzball bouncing along the rooftops.

" _Boh! Where's Yami?"_

_Three shops ahead. I'll distract him._

" _Thanks, Boh."_

Yugi saw the fuzzball jump off the roof, and land on someone's head. "Getofame!" Yugi heard Yami shout. _'Yugi, tell your fuzzball to get off of me!'_ Yami growled over the link.

"Boh, get off of Yami." _"Thanks partner."_ Yugi said, as he reached Yami's side, the Kuriboh jumped off and into Yugi's arms. "Yami… we need to talk."

They didn't join the others until it was time for dinner, when the seven exchange students, the seven Weasleys, Harry and Hermione sat together, taking up 6 tables, and ate their way through a five course meal.

"Question," Joey said as he started on his sixth course, "Since the monsters scared the taxi drivers so badly last time, how are we getting to the train station?"

"Uhhh." Yugi looked at Kaiba who shrugged, it didn't bother him, he could rent any car he wanted.

"Don't worry," Mr Weasley said, "The ministry are providing enough cars for all of us." Everyone looked at him.

"Why?" Yugi asked curiously.

"It's because of Percy," George said seriously, but loudly enough for the entire tavern to hear, "There'll be little flags on the bonnets, with HB on them…"

"For humongous bighead!" Fred said. Some people snorted into their deserts while others burst out laughing.

"Seriously," Yami said, amused at the sight of his hikari dissolving into fits of giggles. "Why are the ministry providing cars?"

"Well, us Weasleys haven't got one, your cars, if you have them, are back in Japan, and since I work there, they're doing me a favour."

' _He's lying.'_ Yami told Yugi.

" _I know, I sense it too. There's another reason that the ministry are providing cars."_ Mrs Weasley sent Ron up to pack properly, and the others made their way up to their rooms, mostly one by one. Yugi and Yami's bedroom doors were open so the loud argument a few doors down was easily heard.

"It was here, on the bedside table!" Percy shouted, "I took it off for polishing!"

"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.

" _Should we go spilt it up?"_

' _No way, let them fight it out, any way…'_ Yami paused to listen, _'Harry beat you to it.'_

"My Head Boy badge has gone." Percy said, rounding on Harry.

"So's Scabber's Rat Tonic!" Ron complained, throwing everything out of his trunk to look, "I think I must have left it at the bar…"

"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" Percy yelled. Yugi dashed into the room to prevent any further argument.

"We'll get it, right Harry?" Harry nodded to Yugi, "We're packed." The two went downstairs. They were halfway along the passageway to the bar, which was now very dark, when they heard another pair of angry voices coming from the bar.

"It's Mr and Mrs Weasley." Yugi whispered, he didn't see Harry nod in agreement. The sound of Harry's name made the two boys get closer to the door to listen.

"…makes no sense not to tell him," Mr Weasley was saying heatedly, " Harry's got a right to know! I've tried to tell Fudge but he insists on treating the entire group like children. Harry is thirteen years old…"

"Arthur, the truth would terrify him! He's still a child, he's not of age like the transfer students, he'd be happier not knowing!"

"I don't want to frighten him, I want to put him on his guard!" Retorted Mr Weasley, "You know what the group as a whole are like! Between them they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry can't do that this year! When I think about what could've happened when he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him!"

"But he's not dead, he's fine, and the transfer students are now here, and they wouldn't let anything happen to him. So what's the point of…"

"Molly, they say Sirius Black is mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. He murdered a street full of Muggles and… and the transfers will have enough trouble this year as it is, Bakura Malfoy supposedly has a grudge against Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba, so they'll have that to deal with, and don't give me the they'll-be-perfectly-safe-at-Hogwarts speech, if Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts and he won't have so many guardians this year, cause his friends will have divided loyalties. Can you honestly see Yami Muto protecting Harry before protecting his twin brother?"

"But no one's sure that Black's after Harry."

There was a thud on wood and Yugi was pretty sure that Mr Weasley had hit something wooden. "Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it but Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now, always the same words too. 'He's at Hogwarts… he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead…" Mr Weasley continued, adding something about Azkaban guards being posted at Hogwarts. Yugi and Harry hid as Mr and Mrs Weasley walked up the passage to the stairs and didn't emerge until they were sure they'd gone. Harry grabbed the bottle and Yugi paused before they walked back up the stairs.

"Harry. If you don't want me to, I won't tell anyone what they were talking about."

Harry turned to his friend and smiled weakly, "No, you should tell Yami about Bakura, and try to warn Kaiba if he'll listen to you. I'll tell them about Black…" Yugi nodded and headed up the stairs first, vanishing into Yami's bedroom as Fred and George collapsed into heaps on the landing, laughing so hard they were crying as they listened to the sounds of Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in the search for the badge.

"We've got it." Fred whispered to Harry, "We've been improving it." The badge now read, 'Bighead Boy'. Harry forced a laugh, gave Ron back the tonic and shut his door, just in time to hear the start of Yami's reaction to Yugi's news.

Escaped murderers, prison guards that scared everyone out of their minds and Bakura wanting revenge on members of their group, why did this sound on par with their previous years at Hogwarts? One thing was certain though, "I'm not going to be murdered!" Harry said out loud.

"That's the spirit, dear." His mirror replied.


	3. Some Suprises

Harry was woken up the next morning by a very loud discussion taking place in the hallway, he opened his door and stared sleepily at Yami and Kaiba who were in the middle of a blazing row, and were ignoring Yugi and Mokuba's attempts to get them to clam down before they woke up all of Diagon Alley. Seconds later a second row exploded as Ron and Percy started yelling at each other.

"Yugi…" Harry called, Yugi gave up trying to calm Yami down and came over to the door, "What're they fighting about?"

"Percy thinks Ron spilt tea on his girlfriend's picture, and Kaiba is accusing Yami of programming his laptop to repeatedly play 'You're not me.' since Yami was the last one in the room with it when Kaiba left it downstairs earlier this morning."

"But I thought Yami wasn't even sure how to check e-mails, how would he know how to break Kaiba's security?" Harry asked, while Yugi shook his head.

"My point exactly but they won't listen to me." Yugi thought for a second, "I wonder…" He closed his eyes and Harry watched as the Puzzle glowed and Yami went from angry and yelling to stock still and emotionless in seconds, Yugi's eyes had gone blank too.

"Don't ignore me when I'm…" Kaiba trailed off, Yami was staring straight through him, "Hello? Yami?" He heard giggling. He turned around and saw Kari laughing.

"It wasn't Yami that messed with your laptop." Kari giggled, "He wouldn't know how."

"No," Kaiba said, thinking, "The only person who could've done that is…" Kari squeaked as Kaiba growled at her and chased her down the hall. "IRONHIDE!"

"Huh?" Ombre asked, sticking her head out her door.

"I'd suggest you go and rescue your hikari." Joey laughed, "Kaiba chased her downstairs."

"Uh oh!" Ombre growled and dashed out of her room and down the stairs, Harry wondered if she was aware she was still in her pyjamas.

Yami had come back to his senses and stormed off, Yugi was looking hurt, "You alright Yuge?" Joey asked, Yugi nodded, slightly stunned, "How'd you stop the argument?"

"Huh?" Yugi asked.

"Earth to Yugi." Joey said, waving his hand in front of Yugi's eyes. Yugi jumped slightly but still looked upset. After breakfast Yami pulled Yugi into their room, and when Joey knocked on their door, to tell them to bring their cases down, it was a much happier Yugi that answered.

"Joey," Yami called, an evil grin on his face, "Come in here, we have an idea." Joey joined them, Kari and Ombre were sat on the desk, while Yami was sat on the bed, Yugi joining him. "Listen up…"

Harry was the last to join them in their compartments; he couldn't work out why Yami, Yugi, Ombre and Joey had joined Kari, Kaiba and Mokuba in their compartment, which was normally reserved for the two to do their emergency work. That was until they were about halfway there, five voices burst into song,

"You think I've got it all,

Everyone thinks I got it made,

Well…"

Harry and the others, burst out laughing as Kaiba stormed past, Yami and Joey's baritones, Yugi's tenor, Kari's mezzo soprano and Ombre's contralto voices following the CEO out.

The five rejoined their friends in the other compartment, laughing quietly, and everyone budged up, trying not the wake the strange man in the corner as they did so.

"Who's he?" Yami asked, once they'd clamed down.

"I think he's the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Hermione said, "Look at his suitcase." The tag on it said 'Professor R. J. Lupin.'

"Think he's up to the job?" Joey asked, "I mean, he looks like one good jinx could finish him off." He turned to Harry, "Anyway, what was it that you wanted to tell us?"

Harry explained about the argument between Mr and Mrs Weasley, and about a warning that Mr Weasley had given him before he'd joined the others on the train. By the time he'd finished Kaiba had returned to the other compartment. Hermione was staring wide eyed at Harry. "Oh Harry, you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble."

"I don't go looking for trouble," Harry said, nettled, "It normally finds me."

"I can sympathise." Yugi said; Joey nodded in agreement.

"Any way, how thick would Harry have to be to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" Ron asked, his voice shaky.

"We wouldn't let him get to Harry anyway, right guys?" Kari asked, everyone agreed. Harry was surprised; they were more concerned about the murderer after him, than they were about Bakura still wanting revenge on Yugi after the Penalty Game he'd given Draco Malfoy last year. The Sneakoscope that Ron had given Harry for his birthday was going off and Ron stuffed it into one of Harry's pairs of socks, and slammed the case shut, trying to avoid waking the Professor.

"Did you hear?" Kari asked, "Kaiba couldn't sign his own permission slip for Hogsmead!" She tried to contain her giggles, "I ended up signing it!"

"So who signed yours?" Joey asked, Yugi's grandpa had signed his, since he couldn't tell his mum, and he no longer spoke to his dad, having moved out two summers ago, along with Yugi and Yami's slips.

"My parents begrudgingly signed it when I went over during the summer, I do love having my own jet even if it does mean Term Time is the only time I don't have an excuse to get out of my parent's constant ploys to get me to go home." Kari sighed.

They started talking about Hogsmead, Kari offered to sign Harry's permission slip but Hermione said Harry would have to ask Professor McGonagall first. "Harry would be perfectly safe with us. I mean there's eight of us. And with four of us able to use Shadow Magic…"

"That wouldn't stop him, he murdered an whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street. Do you really think having us around will stop him?"

The food trolley arrived but they couldn't wake up the new Professor, "I wouldn't worry dears," She said as she handed out the food to the group, "If he wakes up, I'll be up front with the driver."

Professor Lupin may not be very good company, but his company had some uses. About halfway through the afternoon, not long after they'd gotten changed and only just after it had started to rain, they heard footsteps and their four favourite people appeared at the door, Bakura and Draco Malfoy, flanked by Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

"Well, look who it is," Bakura sneered, Draco looked like he wanted to say something but because of the rules Yugi had laid down when he and Draco had played a Shadow Game, Draco could do anything to the group of friends. "Worthless muggle borns, weakling hikaris and pathetic past royalty."

Yami growled and stood up quickly, knocking his open backpack, which held the Millennium items, to the floor. Lupin snorted, and Bakura looked at the man oddly.

"Who's that?"

"New Professor." Yugi said quickly, he'd gotten to his feet to, in case he needed to back up his partner. "What were you saying, Bakura?" Bakura's eyes narrowed, he wasn't stupid enough to pick a fight with a teacher around.

"C'mon!" Bakura snapped at the three with him, Draco looked resentful but followed Bakura and the other two.

"I swear, if he makes one crack about my family this year, just one I'll… I'll…!" Ron snarled.

"Well if he tries to hurt anyone in our group, I'll send him to the Shadow Realm, and ensure he stays there this time!" Yami snarled.

"Yami…" Yugi whispered, as Lupin stirred, "Careful." However Lupin slept on.

"We must be nearly there." Ron sighed.

No sooner had the words escaped his mouth then the train slowed down. It came to a stop with a jolt, and the lamps went out, plunging them into total darkness. "What's going on?" Yugi asked.

"I don't know." Yami replied.

"I'm going to ask the driver what's going on!" Kari said, moving past everyone.

"Not without me, you're not." Ombre murmured.

"Quiet!" A horse voice said, Professor Lupin was awake. "Stay where you are." He ordered them as he got to his feet, the compartment now lit by the flames in Lupin's hand. However, before he could move to the door it opened.

A cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling was stood in the doorway, it's face covered by the hood.

An intense cold swept over them all, they felt their breath catch in their throat. The cold seemed to pull at Yugi's heart, there was a rushing, like water and Yugi clung to his sense of Yami as he felt something tugging at his mind and heart, the roar growling louder.

Then as quickly as it began it was over, _'Yugi? Yugi!'_ Yami desperately called to him, _'Are you all right?'_ Yugi nodded weakly, the lights had come back on and Ron and Hermione brought Harry round.

Harry looked around. Not a single person was unaffected by the creature, some worse then others. Yugi was curled up, with his head buried in Yami's chest, who was very pale, and Harry could see he was trying to remain composed for Yugi's sake. Ombre was holding Kari tightly, as the girl was shaking so badly she could shake herself to pieces, her head too was hidden, though it sounded like she was crying, while her yami was shaking badly. Joey was pale, so much so he could have done a good impression of the Hogwarts ghosts, while Ryou, Hermione and Ron were ashy, but probably the least effected of the whole carriage. Harry had to wonder if Mokuba and Kaiba had been effected and his question was answered as Kaiba brought a tear stained Mokuba into their carriage, as the Professor moved to the door.

He broke off pieces of chocolate and handed them around, giving Harry the largest piece. "What was that?" Harry asked.

"A Dementor." Professor Lupin said, still handing the chocolate around. Most of them started eating straight away while Yami and Ombre looked at each other then at Lupin, "They should eat that, it'll help." Yugi and Kari pulled away, and sat quietly, eating the chocolate, with their yamis hugging them as they ate their own. "I have to go talk to the driver."

Professor Lupin left and Harry looked around confused. "What happened?"

"T..The Dementors…they have a terrible ability." Ryou stammered, as they budged up to make room for Kaiba and Mokuba, meaning there was absolutely no space for anyone else. "They suck all the positive thoughts and memories from those around them, leaving only hopelessness and despair. They guard the wizard's prison of Azkaban, constant exposure to such creatures eventually drains a wizard of all magic and drives them insane." Ryou shoved the rest of his chocolate in his mouth and looked around, silence reigning as they ate their chocolate in silence.

Yami couldn't get what he'd seen out of his head, he'd relived those dreadful few minutes from when he'd thought he'd lost Yugi forever, his soul had torn to shreds by the Shadow Realm when they'd been duelling Maximillian Pegasus. For Yugi, seeing Joey nearly die after being attacked by Ra, ending up on life support in the hospital part of Kaiba's blimp, had him clinging to Yami. It was the worst thing he could have seen, shaking the hikari to his core.

The rest of the train ride was in silence, with no-one willing to talk much. In fact no-one really wanted to talk most of the rest of the way. Once they reached the station they spilt up, into two groups of four and a group of three, Yugi, Yami, Kari and Ombre in one carriage, Joey, Harry. Ron and Hermione in another and Ryou, Kaiba, Mokuba with Neville Longbottom in another.

Kari was still staring blankly out the window, as she finally spoke for the first time since the Dementor had been on the train. "I saw that night, when Rai…" Kari hadn't ever spoken about it to anyone, the memory was locked away where even Ombre couldn't get to it, but the Dementor had dragged it out, kicking and screaming the whole way.

"It was my fault…I was running down the main road, Rai and I had just had a fight. Rai wouldn't listen to me, if he kept going the way he was going he was going to get hurt, but he couldn't understand that. I started crying and my vision blurred and I ran out into the main road without looking, a car horn blew and I was pushed off my feet. The sound of brakes and a loud crash caused me to turn around…Rai was led on the ground. I ran over and tried to wake him but he wasn't breathing. I had to be sedated before I would stop screaming. If I'd have been watching where I was going, he'd still be here."

As the group gathered by the doors, Bakura stormed past, with Malfoy and his goons, giving Yami the most horrid look imaginable as he entered Hogwarts. "What did I do this time?" Yami asked, confused, Ron shrugged as Professor Lockheart passed them on his way in.

They walked into the castle, and joined the crowd swarming up to the Great Hall, but they'd barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! Ironhide! I want to see all three of you." Harry, Hermione, Kari and Ombre looked around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor House, was calling three of them over the heads of the crowd. They fought their way over and Professor McGonagall dismissed Ombre back to join her friends.

"There's no need to look so worried." She said to the Princess as she sent her to join the others, "I just want a word in my office, please go and join your friends in the Great Hall, your hikari will join you shortly."

"Is everything alright?" Yugi asked as Ombre sat down.

"I think so…" She relayed the question, "It's nothing, the nurse wanted to see Harry, and Professor McGonagall wanted to talk to her about arranging some more of those extra classes, like she was taking last year. She doesn't know why Professor McGonagall wants to talk to Hermione. Huh…" Ombre trailed off as the sorting started.

The four made their way down to the Great Hall from Professor McGonagall's office down to the Great Hall, Professor Flitwick was carrying a stood and a battered hat out of the hall. "Oh," Said Hermione softly, "We've missed the sorting." They joined their friends at the Gryffindor table, trying to ignore the stares from some of the others in the hall.

"Every thing alright?" Yami asked, Kari nodded as Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"Welcome!" Said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard, "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…" Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that no one is to leave school without permission; Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises, like spells or Invisibility Cloaks." He said blandly, looking towards the group, "The powers of the Shadows may even attract them; it is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you not to give them any reason to harm you. I look to the Prefects and our new Head Boy and Head Girl, to make sure no student runs afoul of the Dementors."

" _The powers of the Shadows may even attract them?"_ Yugi asked his dark half.

' _I think that was a warning for us, huh…'_ He laughed, _'Hermione was right, that man was the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'_

" _Yeap,"_ Yugi's giggle sounded down the link, Yami could see his light visibly trying not to laugh, _"I don't think Snape's too happy."_

' _Nope but shush and listen…'_ Yami tried to listen to Dumbledore while Yugi's mental giggling played in the back of his mind.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore said, "I'm sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However I'm happy to say that his place will be filled by none other then Rubeus Hagrid who has agreed to take on the teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties." The applause to loud, very loud and Hagrid was grinning broadly.

"We should've known," Ron roared, "Who else would've set us a biting book?" Their group was the last to stop clapping, knowing how much the job would've meant to their friend.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance." Dumbledore said, "Let the feast begin!"

Hermione had never seen the gang tuck in to the food quite so viciously. Though they were eager for the feast to finish, Yugi, Yami, Kari, Joey and Harry practically dived into the food, Ron watched for a couple of seconds then joined in. Hermione and Ombre ate a little more delicately and Hermione noticed that while Ombre wasn't eating as much as usual, Kari was eating twice as much.

At last the feast ended and they got to talk to Hagrid. "Congratulations!" Hermione squealed.

"All down ter you three!" Hagrid said, wiping his shining face on a napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it… great man, Dumbledore… came straight to me after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough… it's what I always wanted." Professor McGonagall shooed them away as the other Gryffindors left the Hall. They followed the others up the stairs to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Password?" She asked.

"Fortuna Major!" Percy said, having fought his way to the front of the crowd. Neville Longbottom looked upset, he never remembered the passwords.

Once through the portrait hole, they spilt up, the boys heading for one dorm and the girls for theirs, Harry felt like he was home, but Hermione had a question, one she didn't dare ask in case she was wrong… was it her or did Kari look fatter then last year?


	4. Lessons, Talons and Trouble

Yugi was already eating when the other joined the students in the Great Hall. Harry caught Malfoy in the middle of a ridiculous swooning fit which had the Slytherin table in fits of laughter, well, most of them, Bakura was one of the few not laughing as was too busy staring at Yugi maliciously across the hall. Yugi, on the other hand, was doing his best to ignore the Tomb Robber and eat his breakfast.

"New third year timetables." George Weasley said, passing them out as they sat at the table, "Hey! Where's the other Muto twin?"

"Still asleep," Joey snorted, "Yuge, question."

"Uh huh?" Yugi asked through a mouthful of toast.

"When you did that… uh, you know what… with Mouthboy, I thought he couldn't do anything to the group, as the Penalty Game for losing?"

Yugi sighed, "That's the problem, I said he had to leave the group alone. Since he is staying away from us and not technically doing anything to us…"

"It doesn't count," Ombre finished, "You have to be specific and besides, if you've noticed, now we're in the room, he's stopped." Ombre paused, looking at Kari as she ate some really weird combination of food and drank hot milk, "Eating fast enough?"

"No." Kari replied and continued eating.

"Leave getting Malfoy back to us," Fred Weasley said with a smirk, "The little git wasn't so cocky last night, or that brother of his."

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, still ignoring Bakura. He was too busy listening to Yami's mental ranting about the fact he'd be late to breakfast because he'd run into Peeves the poltergeist on his way down.

"Well Mouthboy nearly wet himself," Fred growled as he glared at Draco contemptuously, "And Bakura has no right to joke about Harry passing out."

"Why?" Joey asked as Yami rushed into the Great Hall and took a seat opposite Yugi, Fred passed him his timetable before he continued.

"Bakura had a fit, or at least it looked like it, the moment the Dementors got anywhere near him. He came round as we were puling into the station."

"Then it's not just me." Harry sighed.

"I wouldn't worry about it," George said bracingly, "That's why Azkaban is so terrible…"

Meanwhile Hermione and Ron were debating over Hermione's new timetable, "I'm looking forward to starting the new lessons," Yugi said, "But we'd better hurry, it'll take ages to get to room 313, the staircases weren't going directly to the third floor earlier."

"What do you mean Room 313?" Yami questioned, looking at his timetable, "I'm in the North Tower this morning!"

"I'm over in the East wing." Joey put in, Yugi reached for Yami's timetable.

"This can't be right," Yugi said as he took it, "Let me look at your timetable…" They compared, Yugi muttered under his breath and Yami picked at his food as they did so. "I can't believe it!" Yugi said, shocked, "They've spilt us up! We've been put in separate Arithmancy and Divination classes."

"Well at least we'll have Transfiguration and Hagrid's first Care of Magical Creatures classes together." Ron put in.

"But they can't spilt us up!" Yami growled, "It's just wrong!"

"I'm sure if we talk to Professor McGonagall, she'll sort it out." Yugi said as he passed back Yami's timetable. Kari and Ombre were comparing theirs too.

"They've done it to us too!" Ombre growled.

"They can't have thought about this properly," Kari said, "I'm sure Professor McGonagall will set it right."

Yami and Ombre fumed right up until they spilt up for class. Professor McGonagall hadn't shown up for breakfast and Kari was certain it had been deliberate so they couldn't complain until second period Transfiguration.

' _Divination is comfusing!'_ Yami complained over his mind link with Yugi during class, _'I'm supposed to be reading tea leaves but it doesn't make any sense!'_

" _Yami, please, I'm trying to concentrate… Ow!"_

' _Yugi?'_ Yami asked, slightly panicked, _'Why the ow?'_

" _I just got poked for not paying attention,"_ Yugi replied, smiling sheepishly at Hermione as he did so, _"Thanks a lot."_

' _Sorry Yugi, ouch!'_

" _Alright, why the ouch?"_

' _I got poked too…'_ The rest of Arithmancy passed quite quietly except for Yami's occasional bursts of… _'Bored…bored…bored…bored.'_ Which caused Yugi to wonder if Yami had only taken it because Yugi had.

Yugi ended up walking to Transfiguration by himself, Hermione had vanished at the end of the lesson and Yugi was late to Transfiguration because the stairs had decided to change just as he'd reached the top step. Hermione had beat him to class, much to his surprise and he wondered what was going on as everyone seemed uptight.

They waited until Professor McGonagall had set the class working before they asked to speak to her outside the classroom. Once the door was closed behind them Yami spoke…

"Professor McGonagall…" Yami started.

"If this is about your timetables, I'm not going to change them…"

"But…"

"But nothing, Miss Ironhide, your timetables are like that for a reason."

"But Professor," Yugi said, looking up at her, "What possible reason could there be for splitting us up?"

"It is traditional for twins to be separated for some, if not all of their classes for the Third year and beyond. Twins, especially magical twins, tend to be too reliant on each other. It'll do you four good, not to be together all the time."

"Professor," Ombre growled, "I'm sure you are aware that we are not truly twins, it is too dangerous for us to go our separate ways!"

"What possible danger could you four get up to in a classroom, Miss Ironhide?"

"Trouble usually finds us," Yami said, trying to keep himself from growling and failing miserably, "You tell us what possible danger there is in Hogwarts…"

"Mr Muto, this conversation is pointless, even if you threaten to send me to the 'Shadow Realm' I won't change your timetables. Yugi has to learn to stand on his own two feet at some point and at least here it's in a safe environment."

"Define safe!" Yami snapped.

"If he isn't safe on school grounds, there's not much hope for you both, is there? Now if you don't mind, I have a class to teach." Professor McGonagall said as she opened the door. They trailed back in and sat back down.

"Well, it could be worse." Yugi said optimistically, "At least we've got all our lessons with Slytherin house together." Yami nodded but Yugi could sense that he was still fuming.

"Kari!" Hermione called, pulling the girl aside as they walked down to lunch, "Ok, I'm probably going to get beaten up for this, but I have to know…"

"What?" Kari asked, craving a mint choc chip ice-cream sandwich.

"Are you…?"

"Am I?" Kari sighed, _"I wish she'd just ask already."_ She thought she heard Ombre's mental laughter and sighed again.

"Kari, we're best friends, right?" Kari nodded, "And you know I'd tell you anything, right?" And Kari nodded, "Well would you like to return the favour?"

Kari laughed, "How could I expect you not to notice? Yes, I am pregnant, about 3 months gone, and yes the child is Joey's."

"Does he know?" Hermione asked, surprised with how honest Kari was being about it.

"Yeap," Kari continued to laugh, "Why do you think they've been sticking to me like glue?" Hermione smiled and though she wasn't happy about the fact Kari could be ruining her entire education, she could see Kari was happy as they made their way down to dinner, where a mint choc chip ice cream sandwich was waiting for Kari.

An argument blew up about Divination, but Yugi was confused. Hermione was talking about the class as if she'd been there, but she'd been sat next to him in Arithmancy. Finally Hermione snapped, "If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolutely rubbish compared to my Arithmancy class!"

Ron frowned as Hermione stalked away. "What's she talking about?" Ron asked, "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet!"

Yes she has," Yugi said, "She was sat next to me all class."

"That's not possible." Yami frowned, "She was sat with me in Divination."

"But she's the one who poked me when you were talking to me!"

"No, she poked **me** when I was talking to you."

"Fine, don't believe me." Yugi said, looking down, Yami could sense the hurt radiating from the boy, but it wasn't possible for Hermione to have been in two places at the same time.

"Yugi…" Yugi got up and left the Great Hall. Yami could sense he was upset and annoyed, but the link went dead as Yugi slammed it shut. Yami's head spun slightly, but he figured it was because Yugi hadn't slammed it shut with that much force before.

"Is he alright?" Ron asked, watching Yugi go. It was almost unheard of for Yugi to lose his temper when Yami was around.

"He's been like this since he got that letter last year. You know, the one he got the morning of the Duelling club last year where Harry ended up talking to that cobra." Yami sighed, tempted to go after his hikari, "Yugi's parents… were found in Egypt by wizards."

"Then he should be happy!" Ron said, Joey shook his head.

"There was a problem, Yugi told me about it, they'd lost all their memories, the hospital in Cairo only knew their names because they had passports on them. Apparently they'd been asking for a person by the name of Yugi, but they weren't sure what relation the person was, or if they even really knew anyone of that name. It wasn't until Yugi's name showed up in the magical who's who, that anyone contacted him."

"Then, his parent don't know who he is?"

"Yugi won't go and find out; he doesn't want to…"

They didn't see Yugi or Hermione till they reached Care of Magical Creatures, where they were both patiently waiting for the lesson to begin. Malfoy was talking quite rapidly at Crabbe, Goyle and Bakura, who was beginning to show signs of annoyance with his 'brother.'

Hagrid looked over the class, checking everyone had arrived. "C'mon now, get a move on!" He called to the last few stragglers, "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

The class walked round to an empty paddock.

"Everyone gather round the fence here!" Hagrid called, "That's it! Make sure yeh can see. Now, firs' thing yeh'll need ter do is open yer books."

"How?" Said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

"Eh?"

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. Bakura sniggered as everyone else began to take out books that had been bound shut. Bakura's, on the other hand, was behaving, even purring slightly.

"Is Bakura the only one bin able to open his book?" Asked a crestfallen Hagrid; Bakura was grinning.

"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," Said Hagrid, "Look!" And with that word, he took Hermione's copy, tore off the spellotape, and ran a finger down the spine. The book quivered and fell open, lying quietly.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy started, but before he could go on, Bakura had closed his book and hit Draco over the head with it.

"I like them," Bakura said, "I've been training mine." No one dared ask what exactly Bakura had been training it to do, but Yami was willing to bet it wasn't commands such as 'Sit' or 'Stay.'

Hagrid smiled at him, "Right, yeh've got yer books, now yer need the magical creatures. I'll go and get them, hang on." Hagrid vanished out of sight as a group of dragons flew over, led by Kisara.

Draco was glaring at Bakura, while Bakura bared his teeth at Draco. Crabbe and Goyle were looking worried and confused; their eyes darted between the two.

"Um…" Yugi tried to break the terrible silence that had fallen over the class.

"Oooooh!" Squealed Lavender Brown, pointing and breaking the silence as she pointed towards the end of the paddock, where Yugi was holding the gate open for the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen.

They had the bodies, hind legs and tails of horses, but the front legs, heads and wings of what appeared to be giant eagles. The talons on their front legs were long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts was wearing a thick leather collar which was attached to a long chain, the ends of which were held by Hagrid.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren't they?"

Harry and the others could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the shock of seeing something that was half-bird, half-horse, you could appreciate the Hippogriff's gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different colour: stormy grey, bronze, a pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut and inky black.

"So," Said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "If yer want ter come a bit nearer…" Most of the class hung back, however the gang, and much to their surprise, Bakura, approached the fence. "Now, firs' thing yer gotta know abou' Hippogriffs, is they're proud. Don't ever insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yer ever do…"

"Like Pharaohs then…" Bakura muttered under his breath, unable to resist. Yami glared at him but Bakura was more interested in the creatures in front of him as Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle talked in an undertone, standing well away from Bakura. Yugi couldn't hear what they were saying but he was sure it wasn't anything good.

"Yer always wait for the Hippogriff to make the first move," Hagrid continued, "It's polite, see? Yeh walk towards him, and yer bow and yer wait. If he bows back, yer allowed to touch him. If he doesn' bow then get away from him pretty sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt. Right, who wants to go first?"

"I will." Two voices said, Hagrid looked over, beaming at the pair.

"Good on yer both. Harry, yeh first, let's see how yer get on with Buckbeak." Hagrid untied one of the chains and pulled the grey Hippogriff away from his fellows and slipped off the leather collar. Malfoy's eyes narrowed maliciously while Bakura was wearing a look that Yami recognised from somewhere. "Easy now Harry," Hagrid said, "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not to blink… Hippogriffs don't trust you if you blink too much…" Buckbeak turned his great, sharp head, and was staring at Harry with one piercing orange eye. "That's it, that's it Harry… now bow…" Harry gave a short bow and quickly looked up. Buckbeak was still staring at harry, Hagrid broke the nervous silence, "Ah… right, back away. Now, Harry, easy does it…"

Then, to everyone's surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly sank into an unmistakable bow. "Well done, Harry!" Right… yeh can touch him! Pet his beak, go on!" As Harry petted the Hippogriff the class broke into applause, all except Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. "Righ' then Harry! I reckon he migh' let yer ride him! Yeh, climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint, an' mind yer don't pull any o' the his feathers, he won' like that…"

The class watched as Buckbeak took off, circling around the paddock, before landing again. "Good work Harry." Hagrid roared, "Now if the other volunteer will step forward…"

Bakura climbed over the paddock fence, pausing to smirk at Yami before he walked over to Hagrid. Yami suddenly remembered where he'd seen that look, it was the same look of longing that Bakura gave the Millennium items. Bakura approached a second Hippogriff, an inky black one, and bowed to it. Unlike Buckbeak, it didn't hesitate to bow and Bakura petted it.

"Ok, who else wants a go?" Hagrid asked as Bakura turned back to the class. The rest of the class climbed into the paddock. Harry watched Hermione and Ron practise on the chestnut as Yugi burst into giggles at the staring contest that had developed between Yami and the bronze Hippogriff.

"This is very easy." Yugi heard Malfoy drawl as he calmed down, "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it… I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" He asked the Hippogriff, "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

The entire class jumped as a high pitched scream cut through the air. Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar, the group of dragons from earlier, attracted by the scream, forced Buckbeak to stay on the ground, while Hagrid got the collar on.

Malfoy was curled up on the ground, blood blossoming over his robes. "I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled, as the class pointed, "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

Bakura scowled at his 'brother', who was whimpering now, "It's just a little scratch," He pronounced, "I've been injured worse then that before."

"Yer not dyin'!" Said Hagrid, "Bakura's right. Someone open the gate… gotta get him outta here." Bakura had lost interest in Malfoy, he was too busy studying Buckbeak with the same look he'd been giving the whole group of Hippogriffs just minutes before. Harry saw that Malfoy's arm had a long, deep gash in it, as Hagrid ran, with Malfoy, up to the castle.

Yami waited behind as the rest of the class followed Hagrid at a walk. Yugi was walked around the outside of the paddock, Boh, bouncing along beside him, while Bakura was staring at Buckbeak from behind the fence. "Don't even think about it!" He told the Tomb Robber, Bakura turned to face him with a sly smirk on his face.

"Why, Pharaoh? What do you think, I'm thinking? I thought you wouldn't dirty yourself by looking in my mind." Bakura laughed, "Don't worry, Pharaoh, I won't do anything dangerous… it's not like I'll blow up the castle… today… thanks for the idea though." He said, then turned, "Crabbe, Goyle, come on, we have work to do." And Bakura marched them back to the castle while Yami watched them go.

"And how, exactly, did I give him the idea?" Yami asked, more to himself then to anyone in general. A laugh snapped him out of his confusion; Yugi was sat on the fence next to him.

I wouldn't even try to guess," Yugi said, continuing to laugh, "You can't be sure what goes on in his mind."

"Well there is a way to find out…" Yami started.

"Yami!" Yugi said, sounding slightly peeved, "I don't think you should use the Millennium Eye to read Bakura's mind."

"So… are you talking to me again?" Yami asked as Yugi opened the mind link and they walked up to the castle.

" _No,"_ Yugi said with a mental giggle, _"I'm thinking to you."_

" _Yami?"_

' _Yugi, how much chocolate did you eat during our lunch break?'_

" _None."_

' _I don't believe you.'_

"Fine," Yugi said, shutting the mind link again, "I'll go talk to someone else." Yami started after him, wondering if other people got headaches from their friends. _Maybe Madam Pomfrey will let me have a painkiller._ He thought as he changed direction, heading for the hospital wing.

* * *

When Yugi joined his friends at the Gryffindor dinner table, Kari was the only one eating and even she wasn't eating as much as usual. "They wouldn't sack him, would they?" Hermione asked, anxiously.

"They can't." Joey said, poking his steak-and-kidney pudding.

"They'd better not!" Said Ron.

Harry was watching the Slytherin table, where he was sure they were cooking up their own version of events. To his surprise though, Bakura wasn't with them.

"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back." Ron said gloomily.

Yugi poked his pudding and it leaked gravy. He glared at it as if to say 'you're a pudding, start acting like it!' He sighed and pushed it away, deciding to stare at the ceiling where a few clouds were being chased around the sky.

After trying, and failing to do much of anything, the group, with some pointed comments from Hermione, tried to get started on their homework.

"Who's that?" Harry asked suddenly, looking out a window. Nearly everyone crowded around it, except for Hermione who looked out the window next to it.

"It's a student." Hermione stated. Kari snorted.

"Yeap, so that leaves only 800 people it could be." Ombre winced at the sarcasm in Kari's voice.

"Well," Hermione said defensively, "Who do **you** think it is?"

"It has to be someone from our class today," Yugi said, then looked around, "But all the Gryffindors are here."

"So it's a Slytherin." Yami stated.

"Maybe we should go investigate then." Joey said; Hermione shook her head.

"Wait a minute. I don't think that's a good idea." She said, glaring at Harry.

"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds." Harry said pointedly, "Sirius Black hasn't got past the Dementors here, has he?"

"And it's not like Harry will be alone, Hermione." Kari said, standing up, "Come on." She called as she headed out the portrait hole.

"Wait up!" Joey called after her as the rest of the group followed.

"Can't, we'll lose the Snake." Kari called as she dashed down the stairs, "Eeep!" There was a loud thud, "Ow…"

"Kari?" Ombre panicked as she rushed down.

"I'm ok." Kari laughed as she picked herself up, "I landed on my butt, come on, we wanna see what the Snake's up to." They were glad no one was around as they made their way down to the Main Entrance, as they were unsure if they were allowed to go out. By the time they got round to where the student had been, he… or she… was long gone.

"They're gone…" Yami growled, "We were too slow…"

"Sorry guys," Kari apologised, "We might as well see Hagrid now, since we came all this way. See if he's alright…"

They knocked on Hagrid's door and a voice growled, "C'min!" Hagrid had been drinking, but sounded a bit cheerier then they'd expected. "Sorry abou' the firs' lesson. Jus' thought it would make a good start, after Malfoy… I've been gien a warning." He said gloomily.

"How is Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"Good news about that. That Bakura's a good sport. Dunno why you lot complain abou' 'im so much. He came down ter see me just so he could tell me how Draco's getting on, and to check up on Buckbeak." Hagrid told them.

"Bakura. Was. Here." Yami said, biting the words.

"Yeah. Said his brother often made a fuss, often abou' nothing. Said Draco likes being the centre of attention and would probably moan for days if he's allowed to."

"Bakura. Was. Here." Yami repeated, not believing his ears.

"More importantly, why is he being nice?" Ombre asked.

"Well you know those Slytherins, they enjoy tormenting you Gryffindors at any chance they get, but us teachers are above that."

The group conferred, was Hagrid blind? Anyone could see the house heads took it very seriously.

"Bakura. Was. Here."

"Hello? Earth to Yami?" Joey said as Yugi poked the stunned Pharaoh.

"Bakura… was here… and being… nice?"

"I think this'll take a while." Yugi sighed.

"Wha' do yer mean?" Hagrid asked.

"It'll take a while for it to sink in." Joey added helpfully.

"Right." Hagrid nodded, "Well, I think I've had enough to drink…" Hagrid got up and walked out the door.

What's he doing?" Yugi asked as Hermione went over to the door.

"Hagrid stuck his head in the water barrel." Hermione replied.

Hagrid walked back in, his long hair and beard soaking wet, and he was wiping water from his eyes. "Tha' better," He said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all, "Listen, it was really good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really…" Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Harry as though he'd only just realised he was there.

"WHAT DO YER THINK YER DOING?" Hagrid roared so suddenly that they all jumped, "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WONDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN' YOU LOT SHOUDN' LET HIM!" Hagrid grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him to the door, "C'mom." Hagrid said angrily, "I'm taking yer back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yer walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!" As Hagrid marched them back up to the school, Yami was still in shock.

He repeated his last sentiment, "Bakura was here… and being nice?" several times but the gang had decided to let him come to terms with it on his own. The front door opened and a very angry Professor McGonagall was standing on the threshold as they reached the castle.

"Thank you, Hagrid, for bringing these troublemakers back." She said, glaring at the group, "I'll make sure they get back to their dorms." She continued and finally looked at Hagrid, "Good god, man, go and dry yourself off, what did you do? Fall in the lake?"

Hagrid blushed at this statement, "Well, um, right you are Professor." He walked off, not looking back.

"Detention for you lot, I think. Tuesday evening, I'm sure I can find something to torture you with…" She lectured them all the way to the Gryffindor Common Room. "I'm disappointed in you all. You know there's a dangerous criminal on the loose, and what if a Dementor saw you wondering off?" She continued in this vein for quite some time.

After they had settled down for the night, with Yami acting like a zombie and repeatedly saying, 'Bakura was being nice?' Everyone did eventually fall asleep, Yami last of all, muttering, "What is he after?"

* * *

He walked along the edge of the Forbidden Forest and wondered if the chill in the air was due solely to the lateness of the hour. If the truth was to be known he was tired, bone-tired. He had searched and searched for a way home and had come up with nothing, and now the others were beginning to believe they didn't want to go home.

He felt such a powerful need for home, where the magics felt old and familiar, and where he didn't have to do anything, he simply had to be. But now this new place was beginning to feel like home, and he wondered if (no not if, never if), _when_ they returned home would it still be _home?_

Normally when he patrolled he buzzed with ideas, always searching, always thinking. But now he was chewing over a new concept, or at least new to him. Where was home? So many places called to him now, but none of them felt like home… except he had called here home. He hadn't even thought about it until hours after it occurred, he had called Hogwarts _home._ The others had been doing it for months; Mana had started to call this new place home within a fortnight of getting their own rooms. Kisara hadn't, but would he have noticed? It wasn't like that painfully high and mighty dragon actually _talked_ to him.

Mahado checked his surrounding again; he was almost to the lake. Nothing would happen tonight. _But it could._ His conscience whispered in his head, _and you wouldn't notice it because you are too deep within your own thoughts._ He hushed it, knowing he would notice something if anything truly threatened the school, he had too many protection and warning spells active upon the place, all neatly woven in or tapped into the school's own network, wizards had been building those protections for a thousand years.

He went back to his original question; ' _Do I still want to go home?'_ And a part of him didn't. He felt so real here, more human than he had done in centuries. Things happened here. His memories of the past year were so vivid, so filled with colour and light. His other memories all seemed so dark compared, like he had been living in shadows. He almost laughed at this, he was the Dark Magician, and where else would he live? His power came from the darkness.

 _Kuriboh should be coming on duty now._ Then he could almost hear Mana's voice in his head, _His name is BOH! Use it; it won't unleash some deadly force upon the world._ Mahado lifted his eyes to the castle's eastern towers, where the young dragon known now as 'No' normally stood sentry duty. Mahado always watched the dragonet wing his way to bed, if that dragon ever went astray he knew exactly who would get the blame for it.

He saw the small body gain height, circling around and around… Why was he climbing so much? Mahado didn't even dare claim he knew anything about flying (since last time he dared he had had to go into hiding for several months, dragons could hold a grudge) but No had never needed to fly this high before just to get to the duel monster tower. Mahado had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly what No had planned. The real only question that concerned him was _what should he do?_ He could well imagine Kisara's reaction if he so much as talked to one of her hatchlings, let alone start ordering it around. However if he did nothing… and the dragonet got hurt… Mahado winced, his well developed mind presenting him with a image of Kisara's reaction, then there was the third option, let No get into trouble then bail him out and make him promise not to tell, which wouldn't work since Boh would see the entire thing since he's on sentry duty and Boh has yet to keep a secret longer than a week.

As Mahado considered his options, No dived, and Mahado paled. He knew exactly where No was going. Dementors… The youngling was an idiot.

Mahado ran, tapping into the shadows to give him extra speed so that it seemed like a purple blur sped away the lawn. _The shadows are stronger._ He thought, _they have been growing stronger for a while now, why haven't I noticed it before?_

He was too late. A small greyish shape lay upon the floor, Dementors surrounding it, feeding off it… him. _Wait. They are still feeding off him, he must be still alive._

"Get away from him." Mahado commanded, drawing himself up to his full height. Whispers began to fill his mind, draining him and for a moment he faltered.

Despair. Sorrow. Hate.

Kisara.

Mahado swung up his staff. They were too much like the shadows for him to fall completely under their power. He smiled cruelly. _The Dementors were mere shadows compared to a Real Shadow Game._ Dark magic flowed from his staff, driving back the cloaked figures from the small frail looking dragon on the ground.

"No. Get behind me." The dragonet eyes flickered open, widening in surprise when he saw his rescuer… Hesitating. "Now!" Mahado commanded firmly.

No crawled behind Mahado, his wings hanging limply. _Was he hurt? Or just exhausted?_ Mahado backed away slowly, making sure to keep himself between No and the Dementors, and keeping his staff trained on one or the other of the Dementors at a time. They didn't fear his magic, but they were wary of it.

After what seemed like an era or five then reached the gates, and Mahado pulled at a strand of magic causing the gates to close in front of them. Mahado wondered if it would be becoming his stature to grin in front of a dragon. It had been a minor victory over the Dementors. Then Mahado remembered Kisara. She would kill him if she ever found out about this.

A small "Thanks" seemed to escape the youngling, and Mahado considered him carefully.

"Go to bed No… and don't tell your mother what happened tonight."

The young dragon looked up suddenly as if startled… or surprised with something suspiciously like hope in his eyes, "You won't tell my mother what happened tonight? Will you?"

"I have no desire to die anytime soon, so no. I won't tell your mother what happened. You have my word, may I have yours?"

The youngling giggled nervously. "But what about Boh?"

"Well I do have a plan…" Mahado began.

_Kisara just wouldn't understand._

* * *

The next morning everyone was digging into breakfast after fasting last night. Yugi decided to bring up last night. "So what do you think Bakura was doing at Hagrid's last night?"

"Bakura was at Hagrid's?" Yami asked, looking confused and the entire group gave him a disbelieving look.

"Yeah, you remember?" Yugi asked, "We saw someone going down to Hagrid's." Yami nodded, "Figured it was a Slytherin." Again Yami nodded, "But he was gone when we got there," Yami's nod was uncertain this time, "And Hagrid said Bakura had been down to see him and was being nice for once." Yami stared at him.

"Bakura. Was. Being. Nice?" Everyone groaned and Yugi banged his head on the table.

"I don't think Yami can dead with the idea." Hermione put in but by the end of first lesson, Yami was back to normal.

However, at lunch, Joey brought the subject up, "So Pegasus was helpful over the Summer, Kaiba brought Yami a broomstick and Bakura was nice to Hagrid. Do you think the world is ending… again?"

"Wait a second… Bakura was being nice?" Yami said and Yugi groaned.

"JOEY!" Kari shouted. Luckily Yami had reverted back to normal by the end of lunch.

Then dinner came around and Yugi said in a hushed voice, "Do NOT mention a certain someone, behaving in a certain way last night, ok?"

Yami heard him and asked, What person, doing what last night?" Ombre and Kari shared a glance and jumped on Joey before he could reply.

"Bakura was being nice last night." Ron said, paying more attention to his roast potatoes then the glares he was receiving.

Yami looked around at his friends, "I don't believe you." He said, in denial.

"Come on guys," Yugi sighed, "We have detention with Professor McGonagall in ten minutes."

"We have detention?" Yami asked.

"Yeah, you know, we got caught coming back from Hagrid's."

"We didn't go to Hagrid's last night, I think I would remember."

Kari rolled her eyes and grabbed Yami's arm, "Denial." She said in a sing song voice as she dragged Yami to detention.


	5. Chocolates, Boggarts and Chess

Mineola was curious, both Mahado and No were acting strange. Ever since Monday night they had been working together to make sure that no one was left alone in the same room as Boh. Mineola wondered what was going on.

Being curious for an extended time was a new experience for this emerald Dragon, normally as soon as he took an interest in something he would soon have all the data he could want. Either that or he would lose interest. It just so happened that Mineola was looking for something new to take an interest in, since he had grown bored with his latest hobby.

He was going to find out what exactly had happened that Monday evening. Since Mahado and No were in on the conspiracy he wasn't about to ask them, but somehow Boh knew about it. Getting Boh to talk was like telling water to run downhill. The only problem now was getting Boh alone for long enough for him to spill the beans.

However Mineola found getting Boh alone was harder than expected. If he didn't know better he would think that Boh thought that someone was out to get him. Boh was never alone, and while he had already settled into a routine Boh never took the same route twice. Mineola started to wonder if Boh had gotten into some trouble last year. If he did he never complained, at least not to Mineola or the other duel monsters. Then Mineola wondered if Boh would have told them, it wasn't like he was on good terms with any of the others, he was barely tolerated, except by Mahado who always treated Boh with the same respectful ways he had for just about everyone.

Mineola started to feel guilty. They were all Duel monsters, and yet they kept fighting amongst themselves. Kisara and Mahado hated each other, and somehow that hatred had deepened in the past year until the point where Mineola was starting to think they had only had healthy respect for each other beforehand. He couldn't help remembering the many Wars that had occurred, mostly because Kisara and Mahado had found something new to disagree over. First it had been over the sealing of the shadow realm, with Mahado for and Kisara against, then it was Dragons against Magicians, then it was Light against Dark, then the wars had just degraded into an endless battle, but no matter what they claimed the War was about it was always Kisara against Mahado.

After the wars everyone had just seemed to wander, it was boring being stuck in the monster world at first. No one new entered and no one ever left since the Pharaoh sealed the Shadow realm, closing that pathway, the last pathway. Mineola wondered where all his memories were disappearing to; trying to look back over his memories was strange. It wasn't like his recent memories which he could play like a video, more like reading a story that had been written down. He knew the story but he could no longer feel it. It was maddening to know his memories were slowly fading. Except he would rather have known than suddenly wake up one morning and have no memory of the past five thousand years. He wondered what had led to this train of thought and suddenly realised; Boh!

He was going to catch Boh, and make him talk. Or rather listen to Boh babble on until he found out what happened Monday night. The only question was how to catch him.

Mineola's patrol was midday; Boh's sentry duty was from 9pm to 5am. The only time their daily schedules overlapped was when Boh decided to sleep the morning away in his own room instead of on Yugi's bed, and Mineola was up early enough to see him come in, and since Yugi and Yami were fighting… Boh always went to Yugi's in the early morning.

Mineola didn't want to talk to Boh while he had sentry duty, Boh took his job very seriously… and Mahado would want to know why Mineola was talking to Boh, and Mahado had the evening to Midnight shift, while Mana had the Midnight to morning shift. Mahado would find out too easily if Mineola was to approach Boh during Sentry duty. He wasn't about to risk life, wings and talons just to find out Mahado's secret.

He studied Boh's schedule again, Sentry duty, then bed and sleep, breakfast in the kitchen (why was Boh still allowed in there? Kisara had ordered everyone else to stay out of the kitchens unless Pudding was missing.) Then he joined Yugi in his afternoon classes (Very unfair, he wasn't allowed to join Rebecca in her classes), then he came back to their common room and played with the dragonets, (Why Boh consented to being a ball Mineola would never understand), then he again went to the kitchens for supper before Sentry duty on the roof. Boh didn't ever have alone time, or quiet time, or reading time, he fluttered about his day talking to everyone, and he was never alone. He seemed to make sure that when travelling from place to place to do so in a large group of students, or with a teacher, or with Mahado.

Maybe he could ambush Boh outside the kitchens?

He tried out his plan that day. No was already on Sentry duty, and Mahado had just left for his Patrol. Kuriboh bounced out the door and Mineola pounced. (Or rather extracted himself from the shadows so Boh noticed him.)

"Hi Boh, how's you?" Mineola began.

If the sudden appearance of the Emerald Dragon worried Boh he gave no sign of it, in fact he seemed positively happy, "Good afternoon!" Boh squeaked in his cute way.

Mineola tried to smile innocently, "We haven't talked much since we got back, have we Boh? I kinda wondered how you had been getting on." Then he worried, was he going too far out of character here? Would Boh catch onto his ploy? He hadn't really shown too much interest in Boh for a few hundred years, not since he had asked Boh to check out a collapsed cave to see if anyone had been trapped inside, the small Kuriboh had been just the right size to fit through the opening that had been left.

"I've been good." Boh began; Mineola nodded knowing if he said nothing than Boh would start to ramble on about what he had been up to lately.

Boh hated silence.

As Boh rambled on Mineola made sure to give the right amount of feedback to keep him going, nodding, and one word comments to show he was listening. Boh was a goldmine! He seemed to know everything that was happening in the school, from crushes and romances, pranks and dangerous stunts, all the way to the political tendencies of the teachers. Luckily Mineola didn't have to wait too long before the conversation got around to what had happened on a certain Monday night.

Boh had the dragon's undivided attention when he uttered the words, "Did you hear what No did on Monday night?" Followed by a nervous giggle, if any duel monster could be said to giggle.

"Not yet, what happened? He didn't get into trouble did he?"

"No decided he wanted to go and meet the Dementors."

"He didn't!" Mineola exclaimed, he had known it was juicy but he hadn't known No had been in real danger.

"He did. Mahado had to go and rescue him."

"And neither of them want Kisara to find out! Oh this is too good, I have to go and tell her straight away!"

"What!" Boh exclaimed, "No! No! No! You know what Kisara and Mahado are like; they are always ready to believe the worse of each other!"

"That's why Kisara has to know. She always goes on and on about how she wouldn't trust Mahado any where near her hatchlings. If she knew Mahado had saved one of them then she would have to reconsider how she sees Mahado." With these words Mineola turned around and ran back the way they had come, leaving Boh imagining the disaster about to happen.

Mineola was too naïve for his own good.

* * *

THUD…THUD…THUD…

"Harry, please. You're making my hot chocolate spill everywhere!" Yugi complained the Thursday after their detention, as Harry banged his head on the table.

"Hot chocolate?" Yami asked suspiciously.

"I didn't mention chocolate." Yugi said innocently, and then decided to change the subject, "Why are you banging your head on the table anyway?"

"Look at the timetable."

"Ahh, potions."

"Chocolate?" Yami asked again, growling slightly.

"Where?" Yugi asked, looking around as he did so. "There are no **bars** of chocolate on the table."

"No, but apparently the chocolate is in your cup." Yami said, staring at his hikari, who's eyes darted from side to side, and then he downed the whole cup and got to his feet.

"Uhh, it wasn't real chocolate?" Yugi tried, Yami gave him a disbelieving look, sending Yugi dashing out the door.

"So that's how he's doing it!" Yami growled, knowing full well that Yugi would be eating chocolate by the ton if Yami would allow it, but he wondered why Yugi's chocolate intake had increased so much recently and he wondered how he could cut it back so he didn't end up with a hyperactive hikari on such a regular basis.

Thud…thud…thud…

Harry continued to play Can-I-Knock-Myself-Out as Yami considered ways of getting chocolate banned from Hogwarts all together. "Maybe I can release a plague of chocolate frogs outside Filch's office."

"Yami, I wouldn't." Kari said. She pointed upwards and Yami looked where her finger was pointing… and got a pot of hot… well warm… chocolate dumped on him.

"Ombre!" Yami yelled, "Now what am I supposed to do? I'll have points deducted if I turn up like this!" Yami gestured at the hot chocolate streaming down his robes, "And I don't have time to get cleaned up. Snape's going to eat me alive!"

"Yummy… chocolate covered Yami!" Smirked Ombre. Kari stared at her.

"Ombre…" She said, going red.

"What?"

"That sounded very, very wrong!"

Ombre groaned, "Kari Ironhide, you have a very dirty mind!"

Yami caught on and sank down into the bench, going bright red as he did so. "Mind if I join you?" He asked Harry, and began to bash his head on the table.

Harry looked up, "At least you have an excuse not to go. Ombre here…" He handed her another pot of hot chocolate, "Do me."

"Harry!" Hermione scowled as Kari went redder, then pulled out her wand, and pointed it at Yami, "Scourgify!" The spell hit Yami, leaving him chocolate free.

"So what should I do with this?" Ombre asked, looking at the others.

"Drink it, silly." Hermione replied.

"Fine." Ombre downed the jug.

"This is very entertaining, but we have Potions in five minutes, do we really want to be late?" Hermione asked.

They made their way out of the Great Hall. Hermione and Ombre slipped out the hall without trouble but Kaiba intercepted Yami, Ron stayed to prevent a fight between the two.

"Yami. The chess club is filled with losers; doesn't anyone in England know how to game?"

Yami smiled slightly, "Well not many people are up to your standard, Kaiba."

"I know, I need a challenge. Why don't you come tonight? We haven't gamed each other for a while."

Ron piped up, "Hey! I'm good at chess!" Kaiba stared at him and Ron went red.

"Ron is good, you should play against him sometime, Kaiba." Yami said, "He's almost beaten me a few times."

Kaiba snorted, "You say that about the mutt too. So tonight?"

Yami nodded, "Tonight." Kaiba nodded and left the room, his laptop under one arm.

"You never turn down a challenge from him, do you?" Ron asked as they head down to potions.

"No." Yami's reply was firm, "I never turn down **ANY** challenge."

Malfoy walked into Potions late, about halfway through the double lesson. His arm was in a sling and he was acting like some heroic war survivor.

"Does it hurt much?" Pansy Parkinson asked.

"Yeah." Draco said, putting on a brave sort of grimace. Yugi had to wonder if Malfoy was aware of the look Bakura was giving him as he set up his cauldron next to Harry and Ron so they were preparing their ingredients on the same table.

"Sir." Malfoy called, "Sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots because of my arm!"

"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him." Said Snape without looking up.

"He's such a fake!" Kari growled to Ombre as they prepared their own ingredients, "That wound would be completely healed by now!"

"Professor." Malfoy drawled, "Weasley's mutilating my roots!"

"Surely this counts." Joey hissed to Yugi as Snape ordered Ron and Mouthboy to change roots.

"If you've noticed, it's Snape who's ordering the group to do something." Yami muttered, "Malfoy's worked out the loop hole in his Penalty Game." He looked at Yugi, "As much as I dislike the idea of you Shadow Gaming anyone else, you'll have to be more specific next time."

Yugi watched Snape order Harry to skin Malfoy's Shrivelfig and wondered why Bakura was watching his 'brother' like a hawk.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Joey asked as he waved a hand in front of Yugi's face. Yugi jumped a mile causing Joey to laugh, however across the classroom, Neville's potion which was supposed to be bright green had turned…

"Orange, Longbottom." Snape said as he ladled up some of Neville's potion and allowed it to splash back into the cauldron so everyone could see. "Orange."

"Speaking of orange." Joey murmured to Yugi, "Shouldn't you be adding that right now?"

"Eeep!" Yugi squeaked, and added his ingredients, his potion had been on the verge of turning an interesting shade of blue and he'd only just caught it in time.

Yami, meanwhile, was wondering what Malfoy was saying to Seamus that was making Harry and Ron so confused. He joined them at the basin in the corner as they washed their hands. Yugi watched as the look Bakura was giving his brother turned malicious, and shuddered.

"If I was a friend or relative of one of Black's victims, I'd want revenge? What was he going on about? He was talking to Seamus, but he was looking at me." Harry growled as Yami washed his hands. They watched as Snape tested Neville's potion and Trevor, Neville's toad, shrank into a tadpole.

The Gryffindor's applauded, however, Snape did not look impressed, in fact he looked rather sour as he used the antidote on Trevor the tadpole and ended up with Trevor the toad in his hands.

"Five points from Gryffindor," Sneered Snape, wiping the smiles off of every face, "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger."

"But she didn't…"

"And five points from Gryffindor for lying to a teacher, Miss Ironhide. Class dismissed."

The gang climbed the steps to the Entrance Hall. Harry was still thinking about what Malfoy had said, Yami and Joey were arguing over who had challenged Yugi to a duel first, however Yugi was ignoring them both and talking to Kari and Ombre. Ron, on the other hand, was still fuming about Snape.

"Ten points from Gryffindor! Five of them because the potion was alright!" Ron snarled, catching everyone's attention, "And then when Kari tried to tell the truth he took another five! Why didn't you say something, Hermione?" Ron asked, turning around, "…Uh guys? Where's she go?"

The rest of the group turned around, making room on the stairs for the rest of the class to pass them, "She was right behind us." Kari frowned.

Bakura passed them, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle and followed by a sullen looking Malfoy. He smiled vindictively at Yugi and Kari, then vanished round the corner.

"Why don't I like that?" Yugi sighed as he watched Bakura go.

"You're not the only one," Ombre growled as she watched the passing students, "There she is!"

Hermione was panting slightly, clutching her bag with one hand and tucking something down the front of her robes with the other.

"How did you do that?" Ron asked as they finished their accent.

"What?" Hermione asked, confused, "Oh... I had to go back for something. Oh no!" A seam on Hermione's bag spilt, sending her books tumbling down the stairs. Kari reacted quickly, using the Orb's power to stop the books in midair and bring them back up. "Thanks." Hermione said gratefully as the last of the books floated into Hermione's arms.

Kari smiled, then let the magic she'd called die back down. She wavered and nearly fell back down the stairs, only saved by the fact Joey and Ombre caught her.

"Kari, don't risk yourself." Ombre panicked as Ron confronted Hermione about the amount of books she was carrying, "Not in your condition!"

"I'm fine!" Kari snapped, "Just hungry." She and Hermione marched off towards the Great Hall.

"D'you get the feeling they're not telling us something?" Ron asked the rest of the group.

* * *

Professor Lupin wasn't there when they first arrived at the classroom for their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Boh had somehow joined the group sometime after leaving the Great Hall. They all sat down with their quills and parchment and were talking… well other then Joey and Yami, who were duelling to settle their earlier argument … as Lupin walked into the room. Lupin looked healthier then he had on the train, like he'd had a few square meals.

"Good afternoon," He said, "Would you all please put your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will only need your wands. Oh and Yami Muto, Joseph Wheeler," Yugi wondered how he'd known who they were without taking a register, "Since it's likely that Yugi will beat both of you, can you please both pack your cards away."

Kari snorted at the looks that statement produced, while packing her books away. She pulled her silver wand out of its hiding place up her sleeve and examined it. Compared to some of the wooden ones the other students had, her's, Ombre's, Yugi's and Yami's silver and gold wands looked almost brand new.

"Right then," Lupin said as Yami finished putting his deck away, If you'd like to follow me…"

Puzzled but interested, the class got to it's feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. Yami and Joey were looking positively mutinous as the teacher led them along a deserted corridor and around the corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the poltergeist, who was floating upside down and stuffing the nearest keyhole with gum.

Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away, then he wiggled his feet and burst into song…

"Loony, loopy Lupin." Peeves sang, "Loony, loopy Lupin. Loony, loopy Lupin."

Rude and unmanageable as always, Peeves normally showed some respect towards teachers. Everyone looked at Lupin to see how he'd react To their surprise he was still smiling. "I'd take that gum out of the keyhole, if I were you Peeves," He said pleasantly, "Mr Filch won't be able to get into his brooms."

Peeves only response was to blow a loud, wet, raspberry.

"Peeves!" Ombre growled, stepping forward.

Lupin shook his head and waved her back, before sighing and taking out his wand. "This is a useful little spell," He told the class as Ombre rejoined Kari, "Please watch closely. Waddiwasi!"

With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril. He whirled right way up and zoomed away, cursing.

"Wow," Ombre grinned, "I need to make a note of that!"

"Certainly, Ombre Ironhide is it? Professor Dumbledore pointed you transfer students out to me at breakfast the first day of term, though I still keep mixing you twins up. The spell is waddiwasi w.a.d.d.i.w.a.s.i." Ombre made a note of it, "Right, shall we proceed?"

They set off again, the class looking at Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped right outside the Staff Room door.

"Inside please." Lupin said, opening the door and standing back.

The staff room was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty smirk playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin went to close the door, Snape got to his feet, "Leave it open Lupin, I'd rather not witness this." At the doorway he turned and spoke to Lupin loudly enough for the entire class to hear. "I don't know if anyone's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger and the Miss Ironhides are hissing instructions in his ear."

Neville went scarlet. Yami, Harry and Joey glared at Snape. He had no right to bully Neville, especially in front of other teachers. Boh squeaked at Snape angrily.

Professor Lupin raised his eyebrows, "I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," He said, "And I am sure he will perform it admirably." Snape's lip curled and he left, shutting the door with a snap.

"Now then," Lupin said as Boh settled down, beckoning the class towards the end of the room, where an old wardrobe was stood. It gave a sudden wobble. "There's a Boggart in there." He said, smiling, "Nothing to worry about."

Most of the class disagreed with him and Neville gave him a look of pure terror. "Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," Professor Lupin continued, "Like wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboard under sinks… I once met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon and I requested that it be left alone for my third years to practise on. So, the first question is, what is a Boggart?"

Hermione and Kari's hands shot up, "It's a shapeshifter," They said at the same time, Kari laughed and waved Hermione to continue, "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us the most."

"That's right," Lupin said, smiling, "I'll assume Miss Ironhide had the same answer. The Boggart sitting in that wardrobe has not yet assumed a form, no one know what he looks like when he's alone, but when I let him out he'll immediately become whatever each of us most fears. This means," Professor Lupin continued, ignoring Neville's splutter of fear, "That we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"

Trying to answer with Hermione and Kari bouncing up and down was off putting but Harry had a go, "Er, because there's so many of us, it won't know what shape it should take?"

"Precisely." Lupin said, as the two girls lowered their hands, "It's always best to have company when dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused, which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake… tried to frighten two people at once and turned into half a slug. Not remotely frightening." Yami snorted at the idea.

"The charm that repels the Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape you find amusing. We'll practise the charm without wands first. After me please… Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"So what frightens you most?" Ron asked Joey in a whisper.

"I'm not… oh wait, yes I do know." Joey whispered back with a shudder, "Creepy zombie duellist."

"Zombie… duellist?" Ron asked, Joey shuddered again.

"What would you say is the thing that frightens you the most?" Lupin was asking Neville. Neville's lips moved but no sound came out, "Didn't catch that Neville, sorry." Said Professor Lupin cheerfully.

Neville looked around, then in no more then a whisper said, "Professor Snape."

Nearly everyone laughed.

Lupin however advised Neville on the best way to beat Professor Boggart Snape, then he turned to the class. "If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to turn its attention to each of us in turn," Lupin said, "I would like you all to take a minute to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you would force it to look comical."

Yami looked around, a lot of people had closed their eyes to think, Yugi included. Boh was staying still and quiet, Yami tried to think of what he was afraid of, there were two… possibly three things that kept springing to mind, none of which could possibly be made funny.

"Everyone ready?" The whole class, bar Harry and Yami, nodded. "Alright then, Neville, we're going to back away," said Lupin, "Give you a clear playing field, all right? I'll call the next person forward… now everyone back now, so Neville can get a clear shot." They all retreated, "On the count of three Neville, one, two, three, NOW!"

A jet of sparks shot from Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville. Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down on him, reaching inside his robes…

"R-r-riddikulus!" Squeaked Neville.

There was a noise like a whip crack and Snape stumbled. Suddenly he was wearing a big lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth eaten vulture and swinging a huge crimson handbag. There was a roar of laughter, the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Joseph! Forward!"

Joey growled a bit at being called Joseph but was quickly preoccupied by Bonz and his creepy zombie deck. His first reaction was to reach for his own deck in response, then remembered what Professor Lupin had said, pulling his wand out of his robes and yelled, "Riddikulus!"

A miniature sun appeared and the scary looking duellist screamed like a vampire from a horror film as he crumbled into a pile of ash, with two rapidly blinking eyeballs on top. A couple of people laughed as Lupin called the next person forward, "Pavarti! Forward!"

The ash turned into a blood stained, bandaged mummy. It's sightless eyes were turned to Pavarti and it began to walk towards her, slowly dragging it's feet, it's stiff arms rising…

"Riddikulus!" Pavarti cried, a bandage fell off at the mummy's feet; it because entangled, fell face forward and its head rolled off.

"Seamus!" Lupin yelled.

Crack! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floor length black hair and a skeletal green tinged face. A banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long wailing shriek which made the hair on Harry's head stand on end.

"Riddikulus!" Shouted Seamus, the banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat, her voice was gone.

Crack! The banshee turned into a rat, which turned into a rattlesnake, which turned into a single, bloody eyeball.

"It's confused!" Shouted Lupin, "We're getting there! Yugi!"

Yugi stepped forward, slightly nervous. Boh stayed back, as Yugi had told him too, though he wasn't too happy about it. There was another crack and where the eyeball had been was a tall, Egyptian male, with ash blonde hair, wielding a glowing Millennium Rod. Yugi's Puzzle flashed in response.

"Yami Marik." Yami growled as he and Joey went to go to Yugi's side.

"No," Professor Lupin commanded, as Yugi took a step backwards, but raised his wand, "Let him handle it on his own."

"Ri… Riddikulus!" Yugi shouted. Another crack sounded and the darker version of Marik was desperately swatting at his head trying to put out his hair which had caught alight suddenly. Yami smiled vindictively.

"Good!" Lupin shouted, "Dean! Forward!"

Yugi looked relieved to be able to retreat to the back of the room, Boh following close behind.

"Well done." Yami said, smiling at him.

"I know it's stupid, it's not like he's ever coming back but…" Yugi shuddered.

"You know," Joey whispered to them, "Out of all the bad guys we've faced, I'd've thought Anubus would be your least favourite."

"Not that simple." Yugi whispered back, "I'll explain after class."

Lupin was still calling people forward, "Excellent, Kari you next!"

Kari stepped forward, Dean's hand in a mousetrap turned into a large truck, Ombre wondered how it fit in the Staff Room. Kari froze like a deer in headlights as the truck's engine roared and the lights came on full, then she raised her wand and yelled, "Riddikulus!"

The car spluttered, halted, and the seats were ejected before it collapsed in on itself. A single wheel came off, rolling towards Kari made a small cycle then fell with a clang. "Brilliant! Ron, you next!" Lupin yelled, allowing Kari to gratefully retreat and Ron stepped forward.

Yugi squeaked and hid behind Yami as a giant spider, six foot tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking it's pincers menacingly. Yugi was certain Ron had frozen when…

"RIDDIKULUS!" Ron bellowed and the spider's legs vanished. It rolled away and came to a halt by Harry's feet. He raised his wand, ready, but…

"Here!" Lupin shouted suddenly, however the laughter had spread around the room and the Boggart apparently couldn't take anymore and burst into nothingness.

Lupin looked relieved, but Hermione had caught a glimpse of a silvery orb before it had exploded. "Excellent," Lupin said, turning to the class, "Excellent everyone. Let me see, five points to Gryffindor for everyone who tackled the Boggart, and five points each for Harry and Hermione."

"But I didn't do anything!" Said Harry.

"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly, excellent lesson everyone, now, Homework!" Lupin called. Ron and Joey groaned as they wrote it down before being dismissed. Kari dashed off to her extra Transfiguration class as Joey caught up with Yugi, Yami and Boh.

"So, you gonna tell me?" Joey asked Yugi. Who seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with Boh. "Yugi?" The boy looked at him and Boh shot off as a group of Slytherins turned the corner. Yugi watched Boh go then turned his attention to his friend.

"What's up, Joey?"

"You were gonna tell me why you're still afraid of Marik." Joey said, wondering what the two of them had been talking about.

Yugi sighed and pulled Yami and Joey into a deserted classroom. Yugi sat on one of the desks and waited until Yami had shut the door to start.

While Yugi was explaining to Joey, Yami was wondering about something else, why was Kaiba being nice, or nicer at least; he was still Kaiba. And why had Kaiba been so… brittle before. Maybe he had just needed to grow up a bit. Or maybe being somewhere where he wasn't constantly reminded of… something had helped.

Maybe it was just that Yami wasn't the only person here who was better than Kaiba at something. Kaiba always needed to be better than everyone else, learning that he couldn't be the greatest at everything had probably at first sent him into a rage, but he had had two years to think this through.

He was thinking this while having dinner, and missed Yugi helping himself to a piece of chocolate cake.

Kari noticed. She poked him with her spoon and asked "What yer thinking?"

Yami jumped, "umm, nothing." He tried.

"Kaiba invited us to Chess club tonight." Ron put in as he added more custard to his apple pie.

"Us?" Ombre raised an eyebrow in a good impression of McGonagall.

"Well if Yami is going, I'll come too." He said, starting to go red.

"But it's chess." Joey said.

"I'll go. It'll be fun. You don't have to go Joey." Yugi decided.

"Harry?" Yami asked, breaking Harry out of his reverie.

"Sorry, what was the question?" He asked.

"Do you want to come to chess club tonight?" Yugi said. The humour was clear in his voice.

"I don't know, Quidditch season is starting soon, I didn't have much time last year for any extra clubs."

In the end only Yami, Yugi and Ron who went. Yugi wondered out loud how Kaiba had already known there wasn't anyone that could give him a challenge joining the club this year.

When they reached the room they found out. There was a large crowd of Ravenclaws, a few Hufflepuffs and even a couple of Slytherins (sixth years Yami thought).

Kaiba was sitting on a table placed against the wall, scanning the room. Yami wondered why the image of a hawk watching for prey popped into his mind. Kaiba smiled when he saw them, a smile of victory. Yami wondered what Kaiba had just won; he didn't have to wonder long.

A tall Ravenclaw boy jumped them just moments after they entered the door. "Hello, I'm Rupert. Welcome to the Chess club."

"Hi, I'm Yami…" Yami began.

"Great," He said, but he didn't sound too happy about it, "now Seto gets to organise the first set of match-ups."

"Why?" Yugi asked.

"Well Yami Muto is the Japanese 'King of Games' isn't he? Seto bet he could get Yami to come to our club, and I said if he managed it he could set up the first match-ups, I normally just try to randomise the matches so no one gets suck playing just the people they know."

"Well you wanted to play against Kaiba, didn't you Yami?" Yugi said cheerfully as Yami started to groan, Yami hated being manipulated by Kaiba.

Kaiba had already pulled out a printed list from his pocket.

Rupert called for attention. "Okay guys, glad to see some new faces among the old. Welcome back to the Chess club. As some of you know I made a bet with Seto Kaiba last night. For anyone who doesn't know, never expect to win anything against Seto. SO anyway, he gets to decide the first match-ups. After that the matches will be random until October when we'll begin our bi-yearly Championships, which are divided depending on the talent you show in the next month. Seto?"

Seto slid off his table, "I will be playing against Yami Muto, the other pairings I have decided that the more experience players will be playing against the amateurs. Take this as a learning experience, and don't underestimate your opponent." Seto glanced around the crowd, making sure he had their fill attention, some faces looked annoyed with him, but most of the Ravenclaws looked eager to begin.

He began to call out pairs; Yugi was paired with a second year called Owen, who seemed nervous. Ron got paired with Rupert, who was one of the two best players in the club (with Kaiba being the other). After finding out that little titbit Ron became very nervous.

They set up the boards and the room became mostly silent, except for the commands being issued to the chess pieces. The pairs were mostly second years to fourth, third to sixth, and fourth to seventh. Most hadn't talked to each other before, Kaiba had made sure of that, and the younger players didn't have the confidence to break the silence.

The first game to finish was Darius (Slytherin sixth year) against Stuart (Ravenclaw second year). While Stuart started dissecting the game, Darius started to watch Kaiba's and Yami's game.

It didn't take much longer for other games to finish, Kaiba and Yami soon had a crowd. Whispers started. Yugi was heard to say, "Yami always wins against Kaiba."

Soon the only two games still being played was Yami and Kaiba, and Ron and Rupert.

None of the Ravenclaws could believe it. "Since when could Gryffindors play chess?" One was heard to comment.

"There hasn't been a Gryffindor in the chess club for almost five years." One of the seventh years told Yugi, "and Art was never very good at it, she just came because her boyfriend enjoyed it."

"Where are all the girls?" Yugi asked him, Yugi couldn't see a single girl in the room.

"Not many join, Becks normally comes but she's busy tonight. Got a detention with Snape for answering back in class."

"Do I know her?" Yugi asked.

"Probably not, she's the blond second year Ravenclaw with the glasses. Very smart, even for one of us. Over the summer she went to one of those muggle colleges to get something called a level."

Just then Yami put Kaiba in checkmate. Kaiba frowned, "You had that planned 12 moves back."

Yami smiled slightly, "15 moves back actually. That was a good game Kaiba."

Kaiba looked around at the crowd they had gathered, "Has everyone finished?" He asked.

"Nope, Rupert is still having trouble with that redhead you gave him to trounce."

"Really?" Kaiba looked mildly surprised. "You weren't kidding when you said he was good." This comment was directed to Yami, who seemed on the verge of gloating, not that the Pharaoh _ever_ gloated.

After a few more moments Ron proclaimed "Checkmate, and don't ever go easy on me again."

Rupert tried to deny it, "I only went easy on you for the first few moves. I didn't want to devastate you in your first game here."

Ron looked slightly cross, "next time, don't do me the favour, I want a fair game."

The Slytherin put in, "You Gryff's are crazy, I would have taken advantage and set Rupert up for a quick downfall if I was you."

"You mean pretend I'm not as good as I am just so I could win quickly? I wanted a real game, not just to win." The Slytherin looked at Ron as if he was crazy, but the true gamers in the room knew what he was on about.

"So who's up for another set of games?" Rupert asked, getting a black painted box with a blue pawn painted on the front with a hole in the top. "Random match-ups this time. Just put your name on a piece of paper and into the box."

After a rush for paper and quills, nearly everyone put their name in the box. Yami could see why Kaiba had wanted him to come, if it meant he could organise the players. Kaiba had always been a bit of a control freak and Kaiba hated playing against anyone who hadn't already proved himself.

Truthfully Yami had a hard time believing Kaiba was in this club, unless most of the good players were refusing to play him unless he joined the club and proved to them that he was a good player.

Pairs of names started to jump out of the box, and Rupert called them out. Kaiba seemed bored by the process.

Then…

"Seto Kaiba and Ron Weasley." Kaiba looked pleased, while Ron had gone white as a sheet.

"How did Kaiba get the box to do that?" Ron asked panicky.

"Don't worry about it. You're good enough to beat him." Yugi whispered.

"The box likes good chess players; it's been in the chess club for years. If a player is good enough and doesn't ask too often the box pairs them up with the person they want to play against. That's why none of the leaders of the chess club has replaced it, because they are all good chess players by the time they get voted leader." A third year Ravenclaw whispered to Ron after hearing his question.

"Why me?" Ron asks the ceiling.

Still they reset the chess boards and Ron hesitantly made a move, Kaiba snapped out quick commands to his pieces, and slowly Ron began to gain confidence, forgetting who he was playing and seeing only the game. The two of them didn't notice as the other games finished and they were the only game still going.

"Weasley's good." One of the Ravenclaws whispered to Yugi who nodded, as he intently followed every move, having just beaten one of the sixth year Slytherins. Yami, who'd finished off the second year Hufflepuff he'd been playing quickly, watched as Kaiba realised with dawning horror that Ron had backed him into a corner.

"Checkmate!" Ron declared.

Kaiba looked stunned, Yami couldn't help smirking. Yugi looked at him and sighed, he saw an I-told-you-so coming. However, instead of the expected response, Yami whispered something to Ron, "I'd watch out, he'll keep bugging you for a rematch now." Ron gave him an odd look as Kaiba came to his senses and…

"I want a rematch." He stated.

"Not today, Seto." Rupert said, coming to Ron's rescue, "I hope I'll see you all next time?"

They nodded and headed out the door, a black and blue blur was shooting in their direction, a second year Ravenclaw probably, Yami stopped and looked at the student, "Hi Rebecca!"

Rebecca turned, "Yugi!" Yugi found himself glomped before he could do much, including his usual trick of hiding behind Joey or Yami, not helped by the fact Joey wasn't there. "Hi, Yami, Ron, Yugi." Rebecca actually pulled away without being prised off, "Wanna come cheer me one at chess club, Yugi?"

"Sorry Rebecca," Yami said, highly amused at the shade of red his hikari had gone, "You've just missed it."

"What? That's not fair!" Rebecca sulked and Yugi took the opportunity to hide behind Yami, "All I did was tell Snape that he had the wrong quantity of an ingredient up on the board…"

"And have you ever made that particular potion before?" Yami asked.

"No but I've heard what too much dragonpowder can do…" Rebecca replied. "I've never seen you three at chess club before…"

"Well, Kaiba wanted Yami to go, and I wanted to play so I went along too." Yugi said from behind his protective human shield. Ron didn't reply.

"Great, does that mean Kaiba lost today?" Rebecca asked.

Yugi giggled, "He lost twice."

"Really? Who beat him the second time? I can do it if I'm lucky, but Rupert refuses to play him unless they get matched up."

Ron went a brighter shade of red.

"Ron did." Yami said.

"If you're that good why haven't you joined up before? I mean what sort of player are you if you've been satisfied with the sort of challenge you'll get out of Gryffs?"

"I, um, didn't want to go alone…" Ron said quietly.

Yami, Yugi and Rebecca stared at him, "Why?"

"Well, it's not really cool to be in the chess club. I mean I already hang around with Hermione, what are people going to say if I go to chess club as well?"

"That you know how to take advantage of clever people." Rebecca said almost spitefully.

"Chess isn't cool?" Yugi asked, surprised. This time Yugi got the disbelieving looks.

"Well, the club is full of Ravenclaws…" Ron began.

Rebecca went ice cold at that, "Are you calling me a geek?"

Ron looked confused, "What's a geek?"

"I'll give you geek!" Rebecca shouted, tackling Ron and subjecting him to the famous Hawkin's left clip, quickly followed by the infamous right handed slap.

"Remember when Joey did the same thing?" Yami asked Yugi.

"Yep, but shouldn't we be making a quiet exit before Rebecca remembers I'm here?" Yami nodded and they left Ron and Rebecca to it.

* * *

The day was almost over and Kisara was feeling alone and almost homesick. She knew her hormones were making her feel down, but that didn't make her feel any better.

 _I just want to go home! Where things were simple, and I didn't have to worry._ Kisara was curled up beside the fire, watching the flames. _It would be so easy…_ Her thought began, before Mineola burst into their living room. Kisara raised her head to stare at him, but he refused to calm down.

"Kisara! You'll never guess what!" He said, as jittery and lively as an electric eel.

"What?" Kisara asked, putting her contempt of him in her voice. He didn't hear it.

"You'll never guess what Mahado did!"

Kisara was getting impatient with him. "Spit it out, and then leave me alone." Her voice sounded tired even to her own eyes, but Mineola was deaf to tone of voice when he was excited about something.

"No went to confront the Dementors…"

"What?" Kisara rose to her feet, her wings flaring open.

"And Mahado saved him from the Dementors!"

"When did this happen?" Kisara hissed, in a low dangerous voice. Mineola was still oblivious.

"Monday night!"

"I'll kill him, I'll (insert suitable phase here) kill him."

"Who? No?"

Kisara didn't answer, inside turning and jumping out of the open window. Blood rage was clouding her mind.

She landed.

He turned to look at her.

"How dare you?" She began her rant.

Realisation dawned in his eyes. "What else should I have done?" He asked quietly and calmly, but something gleams in his eyes.

"Stay away from my children magician." Malice fills her.

He snorted, "If I had done nothing you would still have blamed me dragon." Something cold and hard is in his voice, and once again Kisara almost regrets… no, never, no regrets.

"I told you before magician. Apparently it needs repeating. Stay away from my children."

"If you had taught your children better maybe No wouldn't have needed rescuing." That hurt.

"I don't want a lowlife like you anywhere near my children."

The trading of insults continued. Some dug deep, cutting to the bone. It only confirmed Kisara's opinion that Mahado was hateful and evil.

What did she expect? He was a being of dark. She was a being of light.

They couldn't get along.

They couldn't work together.

She would refuse to have anything to do with the pig-headed, egotistical, narcissistic, self-centred, arrogant, conceited… she searched for more adjectives to insult him with… vain, pompous, pretentious, haughty, brainless, obtuse, foolish… _there's a thesaurus in my room._

What didn't Mahado understand?

She hated him.


	6. Shadow Games and Mad Murderers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features a loss for a pair of characters. It's not a major character but I thought I'd put a warning in.

Mahado didn't know what to do.

He was so angry, he couldn't settle to anything.

He wanted to destroy something, anything, everything.

Mana was avoiding him.

He was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, trying not to think.

He had almost lost control.

He couldn't do that.

He wouldn't do that.

His theories haunted him now, were they more then just spirit now? Were they alive? Could they die?

He had almost forgotten.

Before he could've attacked Kisara and the only thing that would've been damaged was the scenery.

But now…

Fighting with Kisara could result in injuries or even death.

He had walked away.

This time.

He had to wonder about next time, and the time after that.

Would he forget?

Even if it was only for a moment…

He couldn't take that risk.

But what could he do?

Running away would be… wrong. He couldn't just leave.

He had a duty.

Kisara wouldn't understand.

He hated her.

Why did that hurt so much?

* * *

October came all too quickly, with Defence Against the Dark Arts easily the class of choice amongst most of the student population.

With October came something Harry, Yugi, and sometimes Yami, looked forward to… the Quidditch season. Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting for all of the team, reserves included, to discuss tactics for the new season. To Yugi's surprise, they were three reserves down, the other reserve Seeker, Jennie, the reserve Keeper and one of the reserve Chasers had all finished their last year so they were three men, well women, down.

Oliver himself was seventeen years old, and though he was younger then the Japanese students he was in his final year. There was a sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his team mates.

"This is our last chance… my last chance… at winning the Quidditch Cup," He told them as he strode up and down in front of them, "I'll be leaving at the end of the year, I'll never get another shot at it. Gryffindor haven't won in seven years now. Ok, so we've had the worst luck in the world, injuries, then once we had the reserves , the tournament got called off," Wood swallowed, "But we also know we've got the best-ruddy-team-in-the-school," He said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eyes, "We've got three superb Chasers," Wood pointed at Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell, "Two sublime reserve Chasers," He then pointed at Yugi Muto and Danni Knight, "We've got two unbeatable beaters…"

"Stop it Oliver, you're embarrassing us." Said Fred and George Weasley together; pretending to blush. No one had been brave enough to try out as reserve Beaters.

"We've got an excellent reserve Seeker…" Wood pointed at Yami, who grinned at him.

"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Wood rumbled, glaring at Harry with some sort of furious pride. "And me." He added as an afterthought.

"We think you're very good too, Oliver." Yami and George said at the same time.

"Cracking Keeper." Said Fred.

"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "The Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought this thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll finally get to see our name on the thing." Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic.

"Oliver, this year's our year." Said Fred.

"We'll do it Oliver!" Said Angelina.

"Definitely!" Said Harry and Yugi.

Full of determination, the team started training sessions three evenings a week. Between this and Yugi, Yami and Ron's weekly chess club sessions, they weren't around the Common Room much, so they were missing Kari's increasing frustration with her extra class.

* * *

Just days later, Kari walked out of her Extra Transfiguration lesson, wondering if her condition was effecting her ability to shape shift. She walked up the stairs, not really paying attention to who, or what, was passing her. It didn't seem to matter what she tried, she couldn't yet change a part of herself into an animal. Professor McGonagall had told her it would take years to get it right, but she'd already been trying for almost a year.

She reached the sixth floor and stopped, looking down the stairs. At this point of the day everyone else would be relaxing in the Common Room relaxing until Dinner, she knew that's where her friends were.

Someone grabbed her from behind, securing her arms at her side and roughly shoving a hand over her mouth, before pulling her into a deserted Ancient Runes classroom. _"Ombre!"_ She yelled down the mind link as Crabbe let her go and joined Goyle blocking the door. She glared at the figure stood in front of her, her hand rested protectively on her Millennium item, "What do you want, Bakura?"

" _Ombre!"_

Ombre's head shot up, _'Kari? Kari, what's wrong?'_

Yami looked at her, "What's wrong?" He asked, seeing the panic in her eyes. Ombre's expression turned from panic to one of rage as she and Kari spoke over the mid link.

"Bakura!"

Kari watched as the shadows closed in around them. _Why,_ She thought, _why in Ra's name, did I tell Bakura I had my deck on me?_

 ** _Because he'd've Shadow Gamed you another way if you hadn't?_** A treacherous part of her brain answered.

_Shut up!_

' _Kari? Kari, what's wrong?'_ Ombre voice broke through her thoughts.

" _Remind me about Shadow Games again."_

' _Why? Kari…'_

" _Ombre, I'm in one."_

' _Wh… Bakura…'_ Ombre growled over the link, _'Hold on, we're coming.'_

"Ready?" Bakura asked, his deck already shuffled and lying on the nearest desk. The area between her nearest desk and his had been cleared. Kari shuffled her deck and pulled out her wand and tapped her deck with it.

"Apparaître!" She murmured. A golden spark shot out of her wand but didn't reach her deck. "What?"

"You expect modern day Wand Magic to have any effect here, in the darkness of the Shadows? You mortal fool, the shadows are infinitely more powerful then any magic formed in these modern times." Kari growled, no holotechnology and no Wand Magic, she'd have to hope she could handle the Shadow Realm by herself. She frowned and placed her deck on the nearest desk, she drew her first hand and looked at Bakura.

"Ladies first!" He smirked; Kari glared at him as she drew.

"I play two cards face down," Kari said as she played her cards, wondering if feeling woozy was natural, "And summon the Skilled Dark Magician."

A four star Spellcaster with 1900 attack points appeared in front of her, however a wave of nausea hit her and her vision blurred, "Y… your move."

"I do believe you're feeling the effects of the Shadow Realm." Bakura said as he played two cards face down and a Wall of Illusion in defence mode, "It's your turn by the way."

"W… why aren't… you affected?" Kari growled as she summoned a second Skilled Dark Magician. _"Ow, my head… and my heart… it's like nothing I've ever felt before…"_

* * *

"Kari!" Ombre shouted, it had taken Ombre, Joey, Yugi and Yami less then a minute to track the Shadow Magic, stun Crabbe and Goyle and open the classroom door. But now a Shadow bubble was standing between Ombre and her hikari and… "She can't survive in there on her own…" Ombre whispered, as Kari's pain radiated through the link.

Yugi caught Yami's glance at him and remembered his first attempt to duel in a Shadow Game on his own. "This isn't good."

Kari reeled backwards, one of her Skilled Dark Magician had been destroyed by Bakura's fiend. She stumbled as she walked back towards her desk, knowing that if she lost, Bakura would claim the Orb.

She drew, waited for her vision to clear, then smiled. "Of course," She murmered. "I sacrifice my other Skilled Dark Magician… for my Dark Magician Girl!" She smirked, "T… then…" She shook her head, "Then I activate Mage Power, increasing her… power by 5…500 for every magic or trap card on… my side… of the field…" Kari hissed in pain as her Dark Magician Girl's attack points rose by 1000. Her Dark Magician Girl wheeled around, concerned. "I'm… fine. Attack his… fiend…"

' _Kari, surrender the duel.'_

" _No. If I lose he'll…"_

' _Kari, please listen to me…'_

" _No… I won't let him take the Orb."_

' _It's not worth it, if you give him the Orb, he'll stop the Shadow Game.'_

" _And then… he'll come after… you."_ Ombre was panicking; the mind link was fading quickly. _"I won't let him…"_

"She's not going to give up!"

"Did you really expect her to?" Yami asked quietly, Ombre wheeled around and glared at him.

"You don't understand!" She snapped.

"I understand better then you think I do."

* * *

"I activate Double Strike." Bakura sneered, "Allowing my Dark Necrofear to attack twice, and since your Mage Power was destroyed…"

"Dark Magician Girl…" Kari gasped. The Duel Monster looked at Kari with fear in it's her eyes, but it wasn't for herself, it was for the Magician's Mistress.

"Dark Necrofear, attack the Dark Magician Girl." Kari monster was destroyed, she staggered backwards, "Now, attack her directly!"

A scream was torn from Kari, pain surged through the links. Ombre fell to her knees, while Mana echoed her scream. Then both links went dead.

Bakura walked over to Kari's unconscious form, his Dark Necrofear was giving him an odd look. "She's still in the lead," Bakura stated, "1200 to 1000, but she can't continue." Bakura reached to take the Orb from the girl when he noticed… "Blood?"

A memory forced its way to the surface, Malfoy had told him…

**\- FLASHBACK**

_"Ironhide and Wheeler are in for it." Draco crowed as he entered the Dormitory, no one else was around bar..._

_"Why?" Bakura snapped._

_"Well, I heard Ironhide and Granger talking, that mudblood, Ironhide, is pregnant…"_

**\- END FLASHBACK**

Bakura froze, then took his hand away from the Orb and let the shadows fade away. Joey had him pinned against a wall in seconds, backed up by Yami. Yugi and Ombre were busy checking Kari over. "What did you do to her?" Joey snarled.

"Joey, not now!" Yugi called, panic evident in his voice. "She needs to go to the Hospital Wing."

"Joey." Ombre snapped, "She's bleeding."

* * *

Tobias was hiding; he would not lie to himself over this matter. He did feel a little guilty for hiding, but then what could he do about the matter?

He liked Kisara she was a beautiful dragon and he had been glad to take her as his mate… but she was a little irrational about Mahado.

Mahado was a good friend, always ready to help… but when it came to Kisara he got just a little crazy and now all that either of them would talk about was the fight they had had.

Tobias had to wonder how it would end this time, last time Mana had forbidden them from talking to each other directly and the note insults had begun… it hadn't really ended until Mahado got petrified.

So Tobias was hiding, doing his best to avoid both of them. Somehow he didn't think he was the only one.

It hadn't been this bad back home. Back home no one was silly enough to force Mahado and Kisara within a mile of each other, yet alone the same room. On the few occasions that they had met face to face they had normally glared at each other then turned around and walked (or flew) away, after exchanging insults.

Tobias considered what to do. Anyone with eyes could see that No was hero-worshipping Mahado and Kisara had to learn she couldn't control the first hatchlings any more, they were their own dragons. Someone would have to convince Kisara that Mahado could be trusted.

It was then that the pain coursed through the mental link, easily working along the most used pathways. Mana's scream echoed through the Monster Wing, but it wasn't Mana's pain… but if that was the case there was only one person it could be…

* * *

Joey paced outside the curtain blocking Kari off from the rest of the Hospital Wing. It looked like Ombre was currently asleep; Joey knew better, he knew the Princess was tending to the wounds inflicted to Kari's mind and spirit. The young woman's spirit was barely alive at this point, and Joey understood that Ombre would have to work hard to get Kari to recover. The others were ranged around the room, sat on various chairs and beds, though Yami wouldn't leave Yugi's side.

"Mr Wheeler," Madam Pomfrey called, "Did you know Miss Ironhide was pregnant?"

"Yes," Joey nodded, "Wait a minute, was pregnant?"

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this… but she's had a miscarriage."

Joey sat down… hard…

* * *

Yugi, Yami, Harry, Ron and Hermione joined the rest of the school for dinner that night. Joey wouldn't leave Kari's side and Ombre couldn't. It took all four of them to restrain Yami when Bakura walked into the room, but the Tomb Robber didn't look pleased with himself, in fact he looked disgusted and ashamed. There were no taunting comments from him; in fact he wouldn't even meet their eyes. Bakura ate sparingly then left. Yami wrenched free of the four's restraining arms and followed him.

"Bakura!" Yami shouted after him. Bakura spun around to face the Pharaoh, a defensive look on his face.

"What Pharaoh?" Bakura spat at him, "How you come to tell me how low I've sunk? Don't worry, I've already been told." Yami remained silent so Bakura continued, "Do you want to punish me? Or did you follow me so you could stop me once and for all?" Bakura's eyes were filled with self-disgust, and Yami thought he saw a glimmer of self-destruction; did Bakura want it all to end?

Just then Malfoy came out of the Great Hall, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. He took in the scene then turned to Bakura. "Is this lowlife bothering you, brother?"

"No, I was leaving." Bakura said lightly, turning to go and they left, leaving Yami there wondering what to think.

Yugi, Harry, Ron and Hermione came dashing out of the Great Hall. "Yami," Yugi called, "What happened?"

"I'm not sure." Yami replied, "Bakura was acting oddly," They started making their way up the stairs, "I think Bakura was feeling guilty…" Yugi looked at him, "Bakura is capable of feeling guilt…"

"He's in shock again." Yugi told the others with a sigh, "Even with everything he's done to us, this would be the first time Bakura's ever felt guilty."

"Do you think someone had a go at Bakura?" Ron asked, "And that's why?"

"Well who knew Kari miscarried? Most people didn't even realise she was pregnant." Harry said; Hermione silently nodded in agreement.

"…" Yugi didn't answer, he poked Yami mentally, _"Yami, what did Bakura say?"_

' _That he'd already been told how low he'd sunk.'_ Yami said over the link.

Yugi turned to the others, "Someone did have a go at Bakura."

"Who?" Harry asked.

" _Yami?"_

' _Didn't say.'_ Yugi repeated Yami's two word sentence. In the next weeks, Harry became certain he'd never seen two people in so much trouble, as teacher after teacher yelled at Joey and Bakura.

However the Tomb Robber seemed to be having a mental crisis, was becoming more unpredictable then usual. Half the time he didn't show up to class, especially if they were with the Gryffindors.

After several lessons on Flobberworms, Bakura seemed to snap. He stopped feeding his Flobberworm shredded lettuce, stood up, glared at said Flobberworm, and sent it to the Shadow Realm.

"What did the Flobberworm do to him?" Ron whispered to Yugi.

"That's it! I've had enough, I'm gone!" Bakura stormed and stomped his way back to the castle.

Yugi watched Bakura go and sensed Yami relax slightly, "Dunno." Joey, who'd only noticed when Bakura had stormed off wondered where exactly the Tomb Robber was heading.

Yugi, Harry and Yami returned to the Gryffindor Common Room that evening after Quidditch practise, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practise had gone, to find the Common Room buzzing excitedly.

"What happened?" Yugi asked Joey, the gang were sat around the fire, and completing homework that was due in the next day.

"First Hogsmead weekend." Joey replied, half tempted to say stuff the homework and go up to the Hospital Wing to see if Kari was awake. "It's on Halloween."

"Excellent," Said Fred, who'd followed Yami through the portrait hole, "I need to visit Zonko's, I'm nearly out of stink pellets."

Harry sank into a chair beside Ron while Yami and Yugi grabbed the remaining one, resulting in Yami perched on one arm and Yugi on the other. Harry's high spirits ebbed away and Hermione seemed to read his mind. "Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time." She said, "They're bound to catch Black soon, he's been sighted once already."

"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmead," Said Ron, "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry, the next one might not be for ages… I know, why don't one of you lot sign it?" Ron turned to Yugi, however he was asleep, leant against Yami, he'd already finished his homework and had been up hours before everyone else, Yami was getting worried about the fact Yugi still wasn't sleeping properly. The Pharaoh moved cautiously, trying not to disturb his hikari. Joey got up as Harry pulled out his parchment, ink and quill and started work.

"Just keep him over there, that's all." Ron was saying to Hermione about her cat, Crookshanks, Bastet, Kari's Egyptian Mau, and Kiyoshe, Yami's Norwegian Forest Cat, were ranged around the fire, "I've got Scabber's asleep in my bag, here Harry." Ron said, passing his star chart to Harry.

"I got him." He said to Yami as he went to pick Yugi up. However at that moment Crookshanks pounced on Ron's bag.

"OY!" Ron roared, waking Yugi up and causing him to jump, "GET OFF YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"

"Bed. Now." Yami ordered as Yugi looked around, confused.

Hermione grabbed Crookshanks from Ron and started to fuss over her cat.

"That cat's got it in for Scabbers and it's leading the other cats on!" Yugi heard Ron say angrily as he made his way over to the stairs, "And Scabbers was here first and he's ill!" Ron brushed past Yugi and was pretending to be asleep as Yugi got changed and crashed out on his bed, well aware of Kiyoshe coming up to sleep on her owner's bed.

* * *

Next Transfiguration lesson, Yugi and the rest of the group waited nervously as Harry tried to plead his case with Professor McGonagall.

"But Professor, if you said I could go…"

"But I don't say so. And you may not ask the Japanese students top sign your permission slip, I'm sure they informed you that even they had to get it signed by a parent or guardian." She looked at him with what seemed like pity, "I'm sorry Potter, but that's my final say in the matter. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson."

Good news came from the Hospital Wing though, which stopped Ron's ranting and Hermione's 'all-for-the-best' expression. "Guys!" Yugi grinned as he dashed into the Common Room ahead of Yami, "Kari's awake."

Madam Pomfrey got six surprise visitors just minutes later, as Yugi, Yami, Joey, Harry, Ron and Hermione dashed in. "Hi guys." Kari smiled weakly at them.

"Kari!" Hermione yelled, rushing forward and hugging her best friend. "Kari? What's wrong?" Hermione asked as she pulled away. Kari wouldn't meet Joey's eyes."

"Joey… I'm sorry." Kari whispered as tears came to her eyes, "If I'd given up when Ombre told me too…"

"Maybe it's for the best." Joey sighed. Kari gave him an odd look.

"What do you mean?" Ombre could sense the girl's growing tension, if Joey didn't watch what he said…

"I mean, we're not really ready for a child." Joey said without thinking. Kari's expression turned from one of thunder and lightening.

"You doubt I would've been a good mother." It was more of a statement then a question.

"No, it's not that." Joey replied quickly, however Kari still scowled at him.

"Kari, please, you're not fully recovered yet." Ombre said quickly, Yami couldn't help noticing that she didn't say anything to back up Joey.

"Oh, so I'm too weak now! No wonder you've been hovering over me, you think I'm too weak to look after myself! I'll have you know I was fine before you came along, Ombre, and I'll be fine after as well!" Kari began to rant, shaking with anger. Ombre let go of Kari's arm like she'd been burnt. Kari yanked the Orb off and shoved it back into Ombre's hand. "Take it!" Kari snapped.

"Kari," Yami caught the girl's attention, "Ombre didn't mean that and neither did Joey. Both of them have barely left your side since your Shadow Game with Bakura. Please, put the Orb back on."

"No, I won't. I want to be left alone, so go away. All of YOU!" She screamed the last three words at the top of her voice, trying to drive them away with sound alone.

"Kari…" Hermione started.

"Out! Out! OUT! OUT!" Kari yelled.

Madam Pomfrey came rushing in and ushered them all out with the words, "How dare you upset the poor girl to this extent. I don't want to see you in here again!"

"B… but…" Ombre stammered.

"No buts." Madam Pomfrey added and shut the door on them.

"What're we going to do now?" Joey asked, Ombre was staring at the Orb now resting in her hands.

"She was fine until you started talking!" Ombre snapped at him and stormed off.

"Omb…" Yugi started to go after her, but Yami grabbed his robes, Yugi looked up at him.

"She'll be fine." Yami said, "They're going through a rough time, and Kari isn't thinking straight. I'm sure they'll be fine once Kari's fully recovered."

* * *

By Halloween Kari had convinced Madam Pomfrey to let Ombre in, in fact while the others were eating breakfast in the Great Hall, Kaiba was in the Monster's Wing, checking on the latest bunch of eggs, though he wanted to know how the mutt's Red Eyes Black had gotten his Blue Eyes White pregnant again, the two were eating breakfast in the Hospital Wing.

"I can stay… if you want me to." Ombre said, as Kari finished her apple juice.

"You go have fun." Kari smiled at her, "Bring me back some sweets, if Yugi doesn't clear out Honeydukes. I'll work on the ton of homework I have to catch up on."

"Ok, I'll see you later." Ombre got up and she left, Ombre knew Kari was still angry with everyone and was only talking to Ombre because Ombre insisted. Ombre wondered for a fleeting moment, if she should get Kari to talk to Joey, then she shook her head. Kari didn't want to speak to Joey, for which she was glad, Ombre hadn't quite worked out what she felt when Joey and Kari were together, but she didn't like feeling it. Anyway Kari needed a friend right now.

* * *

A Dark presence slithered through the Forbidden Forest, and silence marked the path. He was meant to help guard the castle, but the others had trouble working with him. It wasn't fiery anger that lay between them but cold distrust.

He had volunteered to keep an eye on the forest and he searched it everyday while students were meant to be in classes. After a year at doing this he knew the forest and its inhabitants well.

He considered again his options. He could go home, he knew how but it would entail asking a certain Magician for help. He could leave and go exploring this new world but he would have to go alone and being alone had never appealed to him, or he could stay here and that was looking more dangerous by the day.

He checked skywards, never forgetting that most dragons would go in for a sneak attack. For a moment he couldn't believe his eyes…

A small dragon shape was circling above, looking for something…

Should he hide? No, it was too late, she had seen him and was diving. He waited for her to flare her wings for landing or at least slow down a bit… She wasn't going to stop… she was speeding up… he readied his tail… closer… closer…

Quick as lightening his tail darted out, wrapping around the small dragon just below the wing joints.

"Let me go!" The small dragon shouted as she struggled in his grip.

"Don't be silly. You attacked me. It would be foolish of me to let you go." He explained to the youngling.

"I'll tell my mother!" She threatened. He tried to remember her name but it escaped him.

"Then why should I release you? I have no wish to anger anyone, least of all your mother." She wilted in his grip, terror in her purple eyes.

"What're you going to do with me?" She asked quietly and fearfully.

"I haven't decided. Tell me why you attacked me with no provocation."

"Because of what happened with Kari. Bakura hurt her so badly, I just wanted…"

"You wanted revenge. However I did not attack Kari, neither have I hurt anyone."

"But… you're on Bakura's side…"

"I do not particularly enjoy pain. If I let Bakura get hurt, I feel the pain. Therefore I protect Bakura, it is the only logical course of action."

"But why did Bakura hurt Kari? Kari's nice. Kari lost her egg." He had to smile at this.

"Humans don't lay eggs. As for why Bakura did this. I don't think even he knows why he did it so what chance do I have?"

"That doesn't make sense."

"What should I do with you then? Dragons don't taste very nice."

* * *

Yami caught up with Ombre in Hogsmead later that day. Yugi had gone with Ron and Hermione, though he'd made them promise two things, to call him if Bakura tried anything, and not to go anywhere near Honeydukes until he got back.

Ombre was considering her cravings for chocolate, she hadn't really wanted anything sweet ever since Bakura had attacked Kari.

Yami found Ombre hanging around by the Shrieking Shack. "It's not fair," He said, making her jump, "For you to pit Kari against Joey."

"I'm not." Ombre stated as she turned around. "Kari hasn't wanted to speak to Joey since he said they weren't ready for children."

"And yet you won't speak up in his defence." Yami said as he sat on the nearest rock.

"Kari needs a friend right now. I'm not about to force her into anything she isn't ready for." Ombre snapped, her eyes flashing.

"She needs all the friends she can get," Yami replied, aware he was on thin ice and it was in danger of breaking, "Ever since Kari and Joey got together, you've been jealous."

"Have not."

"Have too, I've been watching you." Ombre sighed at Yami's retort. He was right and she knew it. "I'm not telling you to force her to speak to him, just let her finish being mad at him in her own time. You're being overprotective."

"Pot. Kettle. Black. You have no right to talk Mr I-don't-care-if-I'm-late-for-class-as-long-as-I-wa lk-Yugi-to-his-first."

"That's completely different."

"How?" Ombre snorted, then an evil smirk came to her face as Shadowfae passed her a message. "Oh by the way, Shadowfae says that Boh says to tell Mahado to tell you," Ombre wondered how she managed to say that with a straight face, "That Yugi's just bought a large supply of sweets and is finding ways of getting it back to the castle without you finding out." Yami went pale and dashed off. Ombre watched him go and smirked, "I was right."

The whole question was… was Yami?

"You promised you wouldn't go anywhere near the sweetshop until I got back!" Yami was still ranting as they arrived back in the Common Room. Ron and Hermione were ignoring him, and smiled as they dumped a shower of sweets into Harry's lap.

"What Yami doesn't realise," Ron said with a grin, "Is that Yugi's asked eight or nine different Gryffindors to keep a hold of his sweets, so it doesn't matter how much Yami badgers him, Yugi has no sweets on him to hand over."

Harry laughed as Ron and Hermione sank into chairs beside him and described everything that they'd done and seen. Harry, in return, told the group, who'd settled around the fire place, about the fact he'd been having tea with Lupin when Snape had come in with a goblet filled with some sort of potion and…

"Lupin drank it?" Ron gasped, "Is he mad?"

Hermione checked her watch as Yami spotted Yugi eating the last of a chocolate frog. "We'll have to go down." She said, "We've only got five minutes before the feast starts." They were still discussing Snape as they reached the Great Hall which had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle filled pumpkins, a cloud of live bats and many flaming orange streamers which were swimming across the stormy ceiling like watersnakes.

The food was delicious and even Yugi, who'd been munching on sweets since he'd gotten back, managed to eat a second helping of everything. Harry had a question though, was it just him, or were Professor Snape's eyes flicking towards Lupin more often then was natural?

The gang followed the rest of the Gryffindors back along the usual path to the tower, but the corridor with the portrait of the Fat Lady in was jammed with students. Yami pushed his way through, and Yugi sensed his shock. Percy ordered "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick." The rest of the gang followed the Professors and saw the problem.

"Oh my…" Hermione gasped and grabbed Harry's arm, Yami moved back to the group and to Yugi's side. The Fat Lady had disappeared from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that canvas littered the floor.

"We need to find her." Said Professor Dumbledore, "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"Who could've done this?" Yugi asked Yami but he waved his hand, he was trying to hear what Peeves and Professor Dumbledore were saying, Peeves had taken on the air of someone cradling a large bombshell in his arms.

"He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs, "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."


	7. Poor Yami

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, halting the Japanese students long enough to get them to pass the message to their monsters to search the grounds. The long tables had been pushed to the sides, making enough room for everyone. The Gryffindors were joined by the students of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin, who all looked very confused.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore said as the last student slipped in just before Professors Flitwick and McGonagall shut the doors.

The student made her way over to a group of students, eight Gryffindors, two Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff. They'd grabbed sleeping bags and claimed a corner of the room as their own. She grabbed a sleeping bag of her own and stopped behind one of the tallest of the group.

"Hi guys."

The boy in front of her wheeled around, as did Ombre, Joey and Hermione. "Kari?" Hermione yelped, "What're you doing out of the Hospital Wing?"

"They said I'd be safer here. Madam Pomfrey wasn't overly happy to let me out though." She said, watching a group of Slytherins in the opposite corner out of the corner of her eye. Ombre reached out with her magic and sensed Bakura and Malfoy in the centre of the group.

"Kari…" Joey started, however Kari's eyes hardened and she turned away from him, Kaiba moved up to make room between him and Ombre and she laid her sleeping bag down between the two. Yugi looked at his friend and saw Joey was upset at the shrug off.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Yugi whispered.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be." Ron replied.

"It's very lucky he picked tonight you know," Hermione said as they settled into their sleeping bags. "The one night we weren't in the tower."

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run." Joey said.

"Yeah, didn't realise it was Halloween," Ron said, "Or he'd off burst in here." Yugi and Hermione shuddered.

The questions and suggestions going around the hall annoyed Hermione. "Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read 'Hogwarts, a history'?" She asked the rest of the group crossly.

"No," Kari replied, "Remember, I read it in our first year."

"Then you know as well as I do that this castle is protected by more then walls, dragons and Duel Monsters. There are all sorts of enchantments to stop people getting in by stealth. You can't just apparate in here, and I'd like to see the disguise that could fool the Dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds, they, or the dragons, would've seen him fly in."

"The lights are going out!" Percy shouted and all the candles went out at once.

It was very early morning, when most of the students had fallen asleep, when Professor Dumbledore came in. Yami, who was finding it impossible to sleep, was glad he had his back to Percy who, as Head Boy, was one of the two in charge, as Professor Dumbledore came over to speak to him.

"Any sign of him Professor?" Asked Percy in a whisper.

"No, all well here?"

"Everything under control, sir."

"Good, there's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."

"And the Fat Lady, sir?"

"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr Filch restore her."

" _Yami?"_ Yami almost jumped, he hadn't realised Yugi was still awake, and he sounded scared, _"How could he just get away?"_ As much as he wanted to reassure his hikari, Yami didn't have an answer.

"You remember the conversation we had Headmaster?" It was Snape, "Just before –ah – the Start of Term?"

"I do, Severus." Yami could easily hear the warning in Dumbledore's voice.

"It seems – almost impossible – that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed…"

"I do not believe that a single person inside this castle would've helped Black enter it." Said Dumbledore, his tone was clear that the subject was closed. "I must go inform the Dementors that our search is complete. The Duel Monsters won't go anywhere near them."

"Didn't the Dementors want to help, sir?" Percy asked.

"Oh yes," Said Dumbledore coldly, "But no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster."

" _Yami?"_ Yugi asked over the mind link.

' _Yes, Yugi?'_

" _What was that about?"_

' _I don't know.'_

* * *

The school talked of nothing else but Sirius Black for the next few days as Kari joined them in classes again. They had decided to ignore the suggestions of how Black had got into the castle, including the theory that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.

The Fat Lady's ripped portrait was replaced by a portrait of a knight by the name of Sir Cadogan and his fat grey pony. Nobody was particularly happy about this as he spent most of his time challenging people to duels or coming up with very complicated passwords.

However the mad guardian was the least of Harry's worries. He was being closely watched and whenever he wasn't in a large group with his friends, teachers would find an excuse to walk with him along the corridors.

The weather was worsening steadily as the first Quidditch match of the season. Undaunted, the Gryffindor Quidditch team were training harder then ever, watched by Madam Hooch, who was acting on Professor McGonagall's orders.

Then, at the last training session before Saturday's match, Wood gave the team some unwelcome news.

"We're not playing Slytherin!" Wood stormed, "Flint's just been to see me, we're playing Hufflepuff instead!"

"Why?" Chorused the rest of the team.

"Flint's excuse was that his Seeker fell down the stairs and can't play." Wood ground his teeth, "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather, think it'll ruin their chances…"

"Madam Pomfrey can fix breaks in minutes!" Yami growled, "He's faking it!"

"I know that, you know that, but we can't prove it!" Wood said bitterly, "And we've been practising all those moves assuming we'll be playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff and their styles are different! They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory…"

Angelina and Katie giggled.

"What?" Wood asked frowning.

"He's that tall, good looking one, isn't he?" Angelina asked.

"Strong and silent." Katie said. She then looked at Angelina and the two girls started giggling again.

"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together. Hufflepuff are a pushover. Alright so we have to field a reserve after Alicia's accident;" Fred growled, "No offence, Yugi."

"None taken." Yugi replied, well aware that Alicia's accident was in fact a sneak attack by a couple of sixth year Slytherins. He'd had to be careful himself, not that Yami ever left him alone long enough for the Slytherins to get anywhere near him, after what had happened to Kari.

"Come on Oliver," George said impatiently, "Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember."

"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, "I'm not worried about fielding a reserve!" He yelled, waving towards Yugi, who smiled at him, "But Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin are trying to wrong foot us! We must win!"

"Oliver, calm down!" George said, looking alarmed, "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously!"

* * *

The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder then ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. Most of the Slytherin team were looking smug and Bakura in particular was looking more evil then ever causing Yami to stick closer to his hikari then ever.

However, Harry and Yugi had no time to worry about anything other then the match. Yugi had it easier then Harry, who was being pestered by Wood who made Harry ten minutes late for Defence Against the Dark Arts. However it wasn't Lupin taking the class, it was Snape, who took ten points from Gryffindor. Snape's excuse for infiltrating their class was that Lupin was very ill.

He looked through the notes and then flicked through the book, right to the back, which he must know they hadn't covered yet and said, "Today we shall discuss…" He paused and smirked, "Werewolves."

"But Sir!" Said Hermione, looking at Kari for backup, "We're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypuffs."

Snape didn't listen and continued to aggravate them all lesson, finally causing Ron to snap, "You asked us a question and Hermione knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"

Even Yami, who'd been considering sending Snape to the Shadow Realm, recognised Ron had gone too far in Snape's eyes, as the Potions Master stalked over to the red headed boy. "Detention Weasley." Said Snape silkily, his face close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticise the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."

No one spoke for the rest of the lesson, but everyone complained as Snape set them homework, two rolls of parchment on the way they would recognise and kill a werewolf. Ron caught up with them five minutes after the class ended, absolutely fuming. He, Joey and Yami started a very long rant which didn't stop until they went to up the Common Room after dinner, during which Yugi managed to sneak a piece of chocolate cake from under Yami's nose making Kari laugh. They headed up straight up to bed afterwards, though it was quite a while before anyone slept as Fred and George set off a bunch of firecrackers as their way of releasing tension before the match.

* * *

Yugi was the first awake the next morning, or at least he thought he was. When he went down to the Common Room, Harry was already there.

"What time is it?" Harry asked as Yugi carried a spitting and snarling Kiyoshe down he stairs.

"Ten past five," Yugi answered, putting Yami's cat down, it shot back upstairs, "I give up, she was trying to eat Scabbers!" Yugi said, frustration tinting his voice, "We didn't have nearly as much trouble last year with her. I know," He turned to Harry, "Wanna play Wizard Chess?"

Harry nodded. Yugi beat him before they went down for breakfast, with Yugi keeping an eye on Kiyoshe. Harry felt slightly disappointed that he couldn't beat Yugi at chess even when his attention was divided. They were joined by the Quidditch team, as well as Danni and Yami. Wood insisted his reserves were ready to fly in case of injuries.

"It's going to be a tough one." Oliver said, as Yugi tried to tempt him to eat something.

"Stop worrying Oliver," Said Angelina soothingly, "We don't mind a bit of rain."

However it was considerably more then a bit of rain.

Harry, Yugi and Yami changed into their scarlet Quidditch robes, and waited for Oliver's regular pep talk. It didn't come, the team captain tried to speak several times but just ended up gulping and closing his mouth again. With the rain storm outside, Yami was glad he wasn't needed to play unless Harry came off his broom and that was as unlikely as Bakura turning over a new leaf.

Oliver shook his head and led the team out, the reserves waiting inside. The wind was so strong that Yugi staggered sideways as he walked out onto the pitch. "Oh great." Yugi murmured, as thunder rumbled over the pitch. If the crowd was cheering then they couldn't hear it over the wind. Yugi looked over to Harry, who was trying to dry his glasses, if Harry couldn't see out of them Yami would have to take over, and both boys knew Yami would probably freeze in fear in this weather.

The Hufflepuffs approached, wearing canary-yellow robes. The captains shook hands; Diggory smiled but Wood merely nodded. Harry and Yugi saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount your brooms." This was going to be interesting if they couldn't hear anyone. They mounted their brooms and took off as Madam Hooch blew her whistle, which was the only sound they could hear over the wind. They were off.

Harry rose faster then Yugi, both Nimbus 2000's swerving slightly in the wind. Harry held it as steady as he could and watched for the snitch, while wondering how Yugi was doing.

In minutes Yugi was so cold and wet that he fumbled when catching the Quaffle two or three times, he managed to score just before Madam Hooch blew her whistle, which went off as the first flash of lightening was seen.

Yugi flew down to where he could just about see Wood, Harry had beaten him to the ground, "I called for a time out." Wood roared as Yugi touched down, "Come on, under here!" They huddled under a large umbrella, Yugi pushed his bangs out of his eyes, water was streaming from them. He sneezed and Wood looked at him sympathetically, "You alright to continue, Muto?" Yugi nodded.

"What's the score?" Harry asked.

"We're fifty points up," Wood said, "But unless we get the snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."

' _You alright?'_ Yami asked over the mind link. Yugi jumped, he'd forgotten he was wearing the Puzzle under his Quidditch robes.

" _Yeap, Wood's called a…"_ "Ahhh choooo!" _"Time out."_

"I've got no chance with these on!" Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses, he'd missed the quick conversation between yami and hikari and didn't really want to substitute with Yami, because the Pharaoh, while no longer afraid of flying, wasn't experienced with flying in this sort of weather, he would if he had to but Harry knew that Yami would rather he didn't and Jenny had graduated last year and had never been very good at spotting the snitch even in good weather.

At the very moment Harry had waved his glasses, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was beaming. "Harry, give me your glasses!"

Hermione tapped them with her wand as the team watched in amazement, "Impervius!" Hermione grinned and handed them back to Harry, who put them back on and found… "They'll repel water now!" Hermione said over the latest roar of thunder.

Oliver looked like he could have kissed her as she dashed back to the stands. "Ok team, let's go, Muto, if you can't continue, tell me now." He added when Yugi sneezed again as they took off.

"I'm fine." Yugi yelled over the noise of the wind, joining the team in the air. He caught the Quaffle that Angelina and streaked towards the Hufflepuff goal hoops. He narrowly avoided a Hufflepuff, he thought it was a Beater, by spinning on his broom and zooming away.

A bludger came wizzing at him so he tossed the Quaffle back to Angelina and let his broomstick drop so the bludger went over his head. "Harry! Behind you!" He heard Wood yell and let the wind spin him around, Wood must have seen the Snitch.

Then he felt a familiar chill sink into his bones, Harry was diving at top speed for the Snitch, but then he seemed to slow, lose his grip… Harry was falling…

_Harry never falls…_

Yugi felt chilled to his core, there was nothing he could do… but he'd acted without thought and was now racing after Harry.

He wasn't going to make it.

He couldn't make it.

Then Harry slowed down.

The darkness lifted somewhat, and the storm seemed to calm.

He caught him.

* * *

Yami was furious. He now hated the Dementors with the same depth that was normally reserved only for Bakura. When they had come he had felt the depths of his despair, but now all he felt was cold fury. Mahado was stood at his side and the Dementors seemed fearful of the pair.

"How dare you?" He snarled, not expecting an answer. Mahado wondered if the Pharaoh was aware of the building Shadow Magic, if he was aware the Millennium Symbol was glowing on his forehead, if he was aware of anything other than his towering fury.

A Dementor floated forward, Yami's icy glare turned to it. He raised his hand and the creature let out a horrible shriek as the shadows rose up around it, taking it to the Shadow Realm.

The remaining Dementors drew back, Yami and Mahado took a couple of steps forward, the shadows darkening and reaching out hungrily, devouring two more Dementors.

"Muto!" A familiar voice called firmly, Yami didn't turn around, "Yami!" The voice called him a second time, the person hadn't been able to tell which Muto he was, "Yami, don't you dare ignore me!"

Yami wheeled around angrily, ready to send the person to the Shadow Realm for interfering, and then froze. "What do you want, Kaiba?"

"I believe he was looking out for your welfare, Mr Muto." Professor Dumbledore said, stepping out of the storm induced darkness.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir?" Yami asked, his rampage temporarily forgotten, Dumbledore was radiating anger like Yami was radiating Shadow Magic. The symbol on Yami's forehead flickered for a moment, but the shadows did not want to leave.

Professor Dumbledore raised his wand and silvery light flowed out of it, driving the Dementors further back before they turned amass and glided away.

Kaiba was watching Yami, "Curb your powers, Muto."

"He's right Yami, control the Shadows." Dumbledore commanded softly.

Yami nodded once, closed his eyes and forced the shadows away, closing the door.

When he opened his eyes again, light danced across his vision and pain burst behind his eyes but as his knees gave way he felt someone catch him, supporting him, as his vision cleared he was shocked to see it was Kaiba. "Are you alright Yami?"

* * *

She felt so cold, so very, very cold. A burning sensation in her eyes told her that she was close to tears, but why? She should feel happy, or at least relieved. The Dementors were gone. Chased away by the Headmaster, the Pharaoh and Mahado.

Then why did she feel like the world was ending? And that there was nothing she could do about it.

She should go talk to someone. Instead she was curled up on her bed, shaking. Her mind was running around in circles. _Why did everything feel so bad?_ Mana tried to bring to mind good things, happy things. They were absent, or unreal.

"Mana?" A quiet knock at her door, the voice unsteady… worried.

She considered moving, but the thought of moving was too much, her limbs felt heavy and her voice lost.

"Mana?" The knock came again, this time the voice sounded almost panicked… but it was so thick and tired as well.

"Mahado?" She called out, but her voice sounded strange to her ears. _Try a mental call_ echoed in her mind, and while her body lay unresponsive to her commands her mind remained active and a sudden energy filled it, burning to be released. _Mahado?_ She called, putting all of the new burning energy behind the call.

The door opened slightly, enough to allow Mahado to slip inside her room. Mana managed to open her eyes to look at him, but her lids remained heavy, and her body was beginning to go numb. He looked so tired and worn, and something was haunting him.

"Mana, something is wrong… something has gone so very wrong." Then he stopped, looked at her and seemed to really see her for the first time since… Mana tried to remember, but it was a good memory and beyond her.

"Mana! What happened? What's wrong?"

Mana tried to lift her head, but she was so very tired and instead closed her eyes. The cold was burning now, and it hurt, but she was so cold and living seemed so hard.

"Mana," the voice seemed so far away, and she almost felt like she was drifting way into the cold lonely mist. "Mana, I need you to fight this. I need you, don't leave me…"

Could she fight this? She was so cold… all she wanted to do was sleep and drift and forget. A single tear formed, and ran slowly down her face. It was hot, but left a cold trail.

Someone wiped it away, warm hand against her cold face. What was his name? So many memories were gone. _What is his name?_ It was gone, with only a shadow left in its place. A fire filled her. She wanted that name back. She would have that name back or by the Gods she would… _Mahado. Oh… good, now what?_ She could feel her body again; she tried to flex her hand. A finger moved, then a second. Within moments she had control of her arm, and she could hear someone speaking.

"Don't die, please don't die. I don't know what I would do if you died. Please Mana, come back. Please don't die. I couldn't bear it."

She almost smiled, she could feel a small smile almost on her lips, but it was held back. "Mahado?" She asked weakly. "What happened?"

"The Pharaoh sent three Dementors to the Shadow Realm." He told her.

"Yami did what? But that means… but why would he do that?"

"The Dementors he sent are not imprisoned, only trapped. They will continue to feed on all those connected to the shadows."

Mana closed her eyes, "We are still connected. Is there anything we can do?"

"I'm not sure. But if we don't do something…"

"We can isolate them. Draw the lines of power away from them, sent the lines spinning around them, if they spin fast enough…" Mana began, seeing in her mind eye what needed to be done.

"Then they won't be able to tap into the shadows. But will it be enough?"

"No. They will escape, and they could be far more powerful than before. But if we set them loose at this point…" Mana left it unsaid.

"It is the only idea I've heard that has any chance of helping. If we let them continue to drain us we'll be in no fit state to do anything."

"Should we ask for help?"

Mahado snorted, "And who from? The Pharaoh is in the hospital wing, Kari is still recovering, Ombre was never much good at our kind of magic, Yugi hasn't been trained, Ryou is off limits, and if you are even considering Bakura I think you need your head checked."

"I was actually thinking of the dragons."

"I can't wake them, I tried… they are as unresponsive as you were a few minutes ago, except for Kisara."

"Then Kisara…" Mana looked at him, Mahado's eyes were hard and she dropped the idea. "Okay then, just us two, may the Dementors tremble at the thought of their doom."

* * *

Harry could hear voices.

"I'm fine!"

"According to Kaiba and Professor Dumbledore, you nearly collapsed!"

"I was overtired. I'm fine now."

"You're not going anywhere until I've checked you over."

"But…"

"Please Yami, let her, just in case."

"There's nothing wrong, Yugi, you don't have to worry."

"How long have you been getting the headaches for?" Harry heard Madam Pomfrey ask.

"Just a few days… weeks… ummm… maybe a couple of months…" Harry could almost see Yugi glaring at his 'brother.' He did not know where he was, but from what he could hear he was pretty sure it was the Hospital Wing.

He opened his eyes slowly and Kari's face lit up, "Yugi, he's awake!" Harry had been right, he was led in a bed in the Hospital Wing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, splattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around his bed. The gang were there too, though Yami and Yugi was a couple of beds down, looking like they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.

Two beds down, a mud splattered Yugi, was glaring at Yami, who looked like he'd been put through the wringer, while Pomfrey fussed over the latter.

"Harry!" Yugi wheeled around as Fred spoke, both twins were white underneath the mud. "How're you feeling?"

Harry's memory was on fast forward, the lightening, the Grim… and the Dementors…

"What happened?" Harry asked, sitting up so fast everyone gasped.

"You fell off," Said Fred, "Must've been – what – fifty feet?"

"We thought you'd died!" Said Angelina; who was shaking. Hermione made a small squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely blood shot.

"But the match," Harry asked, "What happened? Are we having a replay?"

No one said anything, no one would meet his in the eyes. The truth sank into Harry like a stone.

"We didn't… lose…"

"Diggory caught the Snitch." Said George, "Just after you fell. He didn't realise what had happened. When he looked back and saw… Yugi saved your life… he caught you… and Diggory wanted to call it off when he saw, wanted a rematch, but they won fair and square… even Wood admits it."

"Where is Wood?"

"Still in the showers," Fred told him, "We think he's trying to drown himself."

Harry put his face to his knees, his hands roughly gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly. "C'mon Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before."

"There had to be one time you didn't get it." George said.

"It's only the start of the season!" Kari said, wondering if Quidditch was like football points wise. Angelina agreed.

"Yeah, we only lost by one hundred points, right?"

"Yeah, so if Hufflepuff lose to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin…" Fred answered.

"Hufflepuff will have to lose by at least two hundred points." Said George.

"But if they beat Ravenclaw…"

"No way, Ravenclaw are too good. But if Slytherin lose against Hufflepuff…"

"It all depends on the points – a margin of a hundred either way."

Harry led there, not saying a word. They had lost… for the first time ever, he had lost a Quidditch match.

Ten minutes later, after Madam Pomfrey was convinced Yami wouldn't collapse on the spot again, the nurse shooed out the Quidditch team, leaving the gang behind. They settled around Harry's bed.

"Dumbledore's furious." Yami said, Harry could tell he wasn't happy either.

"I've never seen him like that before," Hermione said, her voice quaking, "He ran onto the pitch as you fell, waved his wand, and you slowed down enough for Yugi to catch you. Then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium straight away… he was furious they'd come into the grounds, we heard him…"

"The Dementors won't be coming into the grounds again any time soon." Yami growled.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Yami sent three of them to the Shadow Realm," Kari said, "And nearly collapsed right afterwards."

"I didn't collapse!" Yami snapped, glaring at Kari.

"I said nearly!" Kari squeaked, she looked at Harry, "Harry, errr…"

"Did someone get my Nimbus?" Harry asked. The gang looked at each other. "What?"

"Well… when you fell off, it got blown away." Hermione said hesitantly.

"And?"

"And it hit… it hit, oh Harry… it hit the Whomping Willow." Harry's insides lurched.

"And?" He asked, dreading the answer.

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow." Said Ron, "It doesn't like to be hit."

"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before Yami's complaining woke you up." Ombre said, picking up a bag at her feet and as she finished, she tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful and finally beaten broom.


	8. Hey, Look Who's in Hogsmead

Yami was glad when classes started again on Monday when Harry rejoined his friends. Yugi had not spoken to him since Saturday night when Yugi had shouted at him for not telling him sooner, in front of the entire Gryffindor Common Room, stunning not only Yami but the rest of Gryffindor House as well. The awkward silences between Yami and his hikari were driving the Pharaoh up the wall.

However, returning to lessons meant the Slytherins were given a chance to wind up Gryffindor about their defeat. Ron finally cracked during Potions, having endured Malfoy's spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broomstick from the other side of the classroom.

"There has to be a way of changing the Penalty Game so it affects him if he's doing it at a distance." Joey snarled as Ron chucked a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, hitting the boy in the face and causing Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor, losing the points given to Yugi for catching Harry.

"If Snape's taking Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I'm going off sick." Growled Ron as they headed up to class after lunch, "Check who's in there Hermione."

Hermione peered around the door, "It's OK."

Professor Lupin was back, but it certainly looked as though he'd been ill. Joey found himself sat in the middle of Yami and Yugi while Kari, Hermione and Ombre were sat a row back. The moment the entire class settled an explosion of complaints burst out about Snape's behaviour while Lupin had been ill.

"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he set us homework?"

"We don't know anything about werewolves!"

"Two rolls of parchment!"

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly.

"Yes, but he said we were really behind…"

"He wouldn't listen…"

" **TWO ROLLS OF PARCHMENT!** "

Professor Lupin smiled slightly at the looks of indignation on everyone's faces. "Don't worry, I'll speak to Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

Kari and Hermione groaned quietly, Joey sighed and turned around and looked at them, "Don't tell me you two have already done it!"

"Fine, they won't tell you." Ombre snapped at him.

The lesson passed without a hitch. As class ended, Yugi shot out the door and as the gang went to follow Lupin asked Harry to stay behind.

Yami caught up with Yugi as the boy headed for the Monster's wing to see Boh. "Yugi…"

"You could've told me!"

"But…"

"Don't say you didn't want to worry me!"

"It was just headaches; I didn't think it was anything to worry about."

"You've been getting them for months!"

"They were just headaches; they went away with a simple painkilling potion. There were more important things going on."

Yugi glared at him then asked, "You weren't worried about them?"

"They were just headaches, I wasn't even keeping track of them, it was only in the Hospital Wing that I realised how long I've been getting them for."

Yugi sighed, the anger in his eyes melting to concern, "Just promise me next time you'll tell me if something is wrong."

The moods of the gang took a definite upturn as the end of term approached. Harry would be getting Anti-Dementor lessons from Lupin, Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff and there was no sign of a Dementor within the grounds. Dumbledore's anger and the threat of Yami were keeping them at their stations.

* * *

She was still angry, but now she was feeling betrayed and lonely.

Everyone was avoiding her.

Even her hatchlings had been staying away as much as possible.

Why could no one see that see was right?

She had tried keeping close tabs on all her hatchlings, but they kept slipping away.

When she had mentioned this to Tobias he had smiled slightly and told her not to worry. The five younglings weren't going to get into any trouble.

Kisara had moved out of her room.

There were lots of rooms in the castle that were unused. Even a few that were only accessible from the roof.

So now she was alone with her eggs.

They should hatch soon.

She just hoped they wouldn't betray her like the others.

It was Mahado's fault.

His fault everyone had turned against her.

She never understood him, he had never understood her.

They hated each other with a passion.

All that hate hurt so much.

She refused to feel hurt.

* * *

Two weeks before the end of term, two things happened. The first snowfall left the grounds covered in 'white sand' as Kari jokingly reminded Ombre. The other thing was a letter from Kari's parents basically ordering Kari home for the holidays.

"Not a mention of me in the letter?" Ombre asked, relief etched on her face.

"No… Please guys!" Kari begged, "Don't make me go! Please, please, please, please!"

"How exactly are we supposed to help?" Yami asked; amusement obvious.

"Come up with a reason for me to stay here, please guys!"

"I don't have a reason, guys?" Joey asked, looking around. Everyone shook their heads.

"Fine!" Kari growled, "Who else can I ask?" She looked around the Great Hall, her eyes resting on the Ravenclaw table where Kaiba was missing. "Damn it!"

Everyone else would be staying for the holidays, Ron wanted to get away from Percy, Hermione said she wanted to use the library, while Yugi, Yami, Ombre, Joey, Ryou and even Kaiba and Mokuba would be staying here over Christmas instead of going back to Japan. Harry was glad they'd be staying over Christmas; he didn't think a Christmas by himself would be much fun.

To everyone's; bar Harry, delight, there was to be another Hogsmead weekend on the very last weekend of term.

"I'm going in Zonko's." Kari said with an evil grin, "And I'm taking Fred and George with me. I'm going to see if I can't get out of having to go home for another Christmas, ever!" Ombre gulped, why was she suddenly very glad she wasn't going with her hikari for Christmas?

"What about you, Yugi?" Ron said, rapidly changing the subject, Kari's parents were nicer to her then the Dursleys were to Harry… just about… only they had never quite forgiven Kari for being the surviving twin.

"Honeydukes." Yugi said happily, deliberately ignoring Yami's expression at the mention of the sweetshop.

Resigned to the fact he would be the only third year staying behind again, Harry borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood and had decided to read up on the different models. He'd been riding Kari's Nimbus 2000 during practise but he really needed his own broom, Harry didn't entirely trust Kari's broom, she was too well known for tinkering with it and he couldn't use Yugi and Yami's because they were on the team.

On the Saturday morning of the trip, Harry bid goodbye to the others and headed back towards the Gryffindor Tower. "Psst! Harry!"

He turned halfway along the third floor corridor to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a one eyed hump backed witch. "What are you doing?" Harry asked curiously, "I thought you were going to help Kari with ideas for pranking her parents."

"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go." Said Fred, with a mysterious wink, "Come in here." He nodded towards an empty classroom to the left of the one eyed statue. Harry followed the Weasley twins inside. George closed the door quietly and turned, beaming, to look at Harry.

"Early Christmas present for you, Harry." He said.

Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it. "What's that supposed to be?"

"This, Harry, is the secret of our success." Said George patting the parchment fondly.

"It's a wrench, giving it to you," Said Fred, "But we decided last night, your needs greater then ours."

"Anyway, we know it off by heart." Said George, "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."

"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" Said Harry.

"A bit of old parchment?" Said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him, "Explain, George."

"Well… when we were in our first year, Harry, young, carefree and innocent…"

Harry snorted. He doubted Fred and George had ever been innocent.

"…Well, a lot more innocent then we are now… we got into a spot of bother with Filch."

"We let off a Dungbomb off in the corridor and it upset him for some reason…"

"So he hauled us off to his to his office and started threatening us with the usual…"

"…Dentention…"

"…Disembowlment…"

"…And we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."

"Don't tell me…" Harry said, starting to grin.

"Well, what you have done?" Asked Fred, "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open and grabbed… this."

"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know." Said George, "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."

"And you know how to work it."

"Oh yes," Said Fred, smirking, "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."

"You're winding me up." Said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.

"Oh, are we?" Said George. He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

At once thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they criss-crossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, green curly words that proclaimed;

**Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs**

**Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers**

**Are Proud to Present**

**THE MARAUDER'S MAP**

* * *

Crabbe leaned into the headboard on his bed as he chewed on the end of a quill.

Before him lay his transfiguration books and notes as he tried to concentrate on his homework.

It was never easy.

Bakura was pacing the room again.

Draco was pretending to read, but hadn't turned a page for several minutes.

Goyle was watching the ink from his quill make interesting patterns on the scroll. When magical quills broke they went very wrong indeed.

Crabbe was becoming worried. He knew he wasn't a quick thinker, or even a good thinker but some things you just knew.

Don't show your weakness, especially not to your allies. Yet Bakura was pacing.

The only person you could trust was yourself or someone completely in your power.

Had all three of them fallen so completely into Bakura's power in so short a time, or did he simply not care, or did he believe they didn't have a chance against him.

Were they being controlled, or simply manipulated? Crabbe expected to be manipulated; it was part of being a Slytherin, but Crabbe was worried that Bakura had some further control over them.

His father had told him 'Follow the Malfoy boy, he'll take you far.' but that was before the Malfoy boy became the Malfoy _boys._ Crabbe still followed orders.

The question was whose? Draco or Bakura?

Bakura had a plan, Draco had liked it and so the entire term was worked out to this plan. Crabbe didn't know the full details, but Draco had to appear friendless.

Bakura had stopped pacing. He was staring up at the ceiling with a gleeful look on his face.

The strange Ring was glowing again.

"Crabbe, Goyle. Go get Ryou; he's on the third floor near the library." Bakura commanded.

Crabbe glanced at Draco. That was a mistake.

"No Bakura, that's not part of the plan. Your hikari must have nothing to do with us. You said that yourself." Draco drawled. That was a bigger mistake.

Bakura was across the room in a moment, a knife in his hand, looming over in a threatening manner.

"Never tell me what to do." He hissed.

Draco took a step backward, his already pale face whitening.

"I am in control, understand?" The tome robber continued.

"You are my way to power, not me to yours." Draco said angrily.

It was the wrong thing to say. You don't argue with those hanging by a thread. Crabbe's father had said that many times. Then again the Malfoys didn't teach their children the same lessons as the Crabbes.

"I think, little brother, that you plan to betray me." Bakura laughed at these words, and Crabbe wondered what he intended to do. "Your father made us brothers in name; shall I make us brothers in blood as well?" Draco seemed to pale further, and probably would have backed away further if he hadn't encountered the wall.

Crabbe moved without thinking. He grabbed Bakura's knife hand, and was glad to notice Goyle had Bakura's other arm. "Don't" He muttered.

Bakura's rage seemed to grow a hundredfold.

Before they could react darkness rose up around them and Crabbe found himself slammed against a wall. He tried to rise, but his body just lay there.

He had good view of what happened next, and could not even close his own eyes to shut out the vision.

"I planned for this Draco. Did you? I researched spells to find how I could bind your loyalty. I could use the Ring to bring you under my control, but I don't need a mindless body." He glanced at Crabbe and presumably at Goyle, "There are enough of those hanging around."

"I won't obey you anymore. I'll tell Muto and his gang. They'll stop you, they did before." Draco defied him.

 _Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad._ Crabbe started to rant inside his mind.

"You won't betray me." Bakura grabbed Draco's hand and slit the palm with his knife, before doing the same to his own hand. Bakura firmly gripped Draco bleeding hand in his own.

"Repeat this oath. Brothers in name, brothers in spirit, now brothers in blood."

Draco clamped his mouth shut.

Bakura repeated the words again.

Draco was still fighting, trying to pull away from the death grip Bakura had on his arm. Crabbe knew this spell, or one like it. Bakura must had been slipping Draco the preliminary potion for weeks now, but if Draco could resist saying the oath before he get free of Bakura the spell would have little effect.

Bakura said the words yet again.

Then again, if Bakura repeated the chant enough times… each repetition gave more strength to the binding spell.

"Brothers in name, brothers in spirit, now brothers in blood." The oath was pulled from Draco, syllable by syllable.

Bakura smiled.

The second time Draco said the oath the words were sullen.

Bakura joined him on Draco's third repetition; the words seemed to flow naturally from both of them.

"You are mine." Bakura declared as a sooty red glow surrounded the two. Bakura let go and Draco collapsed, panting, onto the floor.

"Now for you two." The shadow magic surrounded Crabbe, lifting him up. For a moment he seemed to lose track, then came to and found Bakura talking.

"Go get Ryou."

Getting Ryou proved easy.

At first he seemed nervous, but when told Bakura wanted to talk to him he seemed to gain in confidence.

He followed Goyle to the chosen meeting place, Crabbe behind to make sure he didn't try to escape.

Bakura was waiting.

The two white haired boys entered a classroom, and Bakura told Crabbe and Goyle to lounge outside.

Wait meant to guard and be seen. Lounge meant stay nearby and be ready to frighten anyone away.

It wasn't long before Crabbe could hear voices, not clear yet but their tone was clear. Fear and anger.

No one was meant to hear this.

Which meant a secret that could be exploited.

**No.**

Bakura was capable of anything; he would go far and Crabbe would follow him there.

Crabbe felt like something was missing. He reached for it.

**No.**

The voices were loud enough to be heard clearly now. He should remember this.

**No.**

The words seemed to fade away as they were spoken.

What could the Ring…

**No.**

The voices were quiet now.

Didn't he have friends?

Something was wrong.

There was nothing he could do.

His friends were gone. Trapped just like him.

No one else would see there was something wrong.

No one else would care.

The door opened.

Ryou stepped out first, with Bakura just behind him.

Bakura nodded.

Something was missing from Bakura.

Ryou reached up to rub his neck, or rather the chain around it.

Ryou had the…

**NO.**

_I will know!_ He shouted at the mental voice.

The Ring.

* * *

"What took you so long?" Kari laughed as Fred and George joined her outside Zonko's joke shop, "We'll meet you in the pub later." Kari smiled at the others and she, Ombre and the two boys split away from the group.

"Come on Yami!" Yugi pleaded, dragging the Pharaoh down the road, Hermione and Ron followed, sure that Yugi was headed for Honeydukes and Joey headed in a different direction altogether. Kaiba sighed and made his way to the Post Office to deliver some important mail to some contacts in Egypt.

Yugi, Hermione and Ron looked through the sweets, Yami was watching to make sure Yugi didn't buy as many sweets as last time. They were looking at a table with a large sign above which read Unusual Tastes. Yugi wasn't sure about any of these sweets, and Hermione was of the same opinion, "Urgh, no, Harry wouldn't want one of those, they're for vampires I expect."

"I bet Draco would eat one." Harry said, causing even Yami to jump out of his skin.

"Harry!" Yugi gasped, "How?"

"What're you doing here?" Hermione squealed.

"Wow!" Ron looked impressed, "You've learnt to Apparate!"

"Course I haven't," said Harry. He dropped his voice so none of the sixth years could hear him and told them about the Marauder's Map.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to me?" Ron was outraged, "I'm their brother!"

"But Harry isn't going to keep it" Said Hermione, as though the idea was ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you Harry?"

"No, I'm not!" Harry said.

"Are you mad?" Ron asked.

"It could be useful." Yami said, "It shouldn't be…"

"Shoudn't be what?" Hermione hissed, "What about Sirius Black? He could be using one of those secret passages to get into the castle! The teachers have to know!"

"He can't be getting in through the tunnels," Harry said quickly. "There are seven secret passages on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch knows about four of them and the other three, one of them's caved in so no one can get through it. One of them had the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't really get out of it. And the one I just came through – well it's really hard to see so unless he knows it's there…" Harry hesitated, what if Black did know it was there?

Ron, however, had pointed to a sign on the inside of the sweetshop door. As Ron and Hermione dissolved into an argument, Yugi dragged Harry away to show him some of the sweets. Once they'd paid for their purchases they left the shop and headed for the Three Broomsticks, where the others were waiting.

They took up two entire tables between the window and an absolutely gorgeous Christmas tree. Ron and Yami went and got their drinks as Harry, Yugi and Hermione joined the others. After the initial shock of the others Harry settled into a chair where he couldn't be seen easily. "Hey Kari, what's in the bags?"

Kari just smirked evilly as Yami and Ron came back, carrying five foaming tankards of Butterbeer. Yami and Yugi settled at Joey, Kari and Ombre's table while Harry, Ron and Hermione settled at the other.

"Merry Christmas!" Harry toasted, the others followed suit.

They drank deeply, Harry was certain that it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted. A slight breeze ruffled his hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Harry peered around the Christmas tree and nearly choked.

Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the Pub in a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a pinstripe cloak; Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.

In an instant Hermione and Kari looked at each other, Kari snatched the Millennium Orb from Ombre and the two girls, using Wand Magic and a small amount of Shadow Magic placed the Illusion spell, they'd perfected between them, on Harry, making him apparently disappear. "Get under the table." Hermione hissed, Harry did so, still holding his Butterbeer tankard but now hidden from view by four pairs of legs in case the spell wore off. Harry looked through the dense lower branches of the Christmas tree and saw four sets of chairs move back from the table beside this one. Harry had never been so glad that the spell Hermione and Kari had cooked up used little Shadow Magic so Kari wouldn't get ill again and was easy to cast, as the teachers sat down.

Kari watched, her attention divided as Madam Rosmerta gave out the drinks. "Ombre, if someone's still serving, can you get me another Butterbeer?"

"I'll get it." Joey said, getting up as Madam Rosmerta spoke up.

"You know that the Dementors have searched my pub twice?" Asked Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice, "Scared all my customers away… it's very bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," Said Fudge uncomfortably, "Necessary precautions… unfortunate, but there you are… I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore and one of the students, Dumbledore won't let them in the grounds and they were mumbling something about a student attacking them with Shadows. Personally I think…"

"Dumbledore is quite right to refuse them entry to the school." Professor McGonagall snapped, "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around!"

Yugi looked at Yami who was uncomfortably shifting away from the teacher's table as Flitwick cheered on McGonagall.

"All the same," Demurred Fudge, "They are here to protect you all from something much worse, though I may change the guards if they think Shadows can attack them. Black is capable of murder, if you don't allow the Dementors into the school…"

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," Said Madam Rosmerta, trying to change the subject, "Of all the people to go over to the Dark side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought… I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," Said Fudge gruffly, "The worst he did isn't widely known."

"The worst?" Asked Madam Rosmerta as Joey came back with Kari's second Butterbeer, "Worse then murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do." Said Fudge.

"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," Murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who is his best friend was?"

"Naturally," Said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh, "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here – ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk, spilling Butterbeer everywhere, Ron kicked him as Hermione tried to clear it up.

"Precisely," Said Professor McGonagall, "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course – exceptionally bright, in fact – but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers…"

"I dunno," Chuckled Hagrid, "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" Chimed in Professor Flitwick, "Inseparable."

"Of course they were," Said Fudge, "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."

"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" Whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Worse then that, m'dear," Fudge dropped his voice as Yugi got up and took their empty mugs across to the bar, Yami watched carefully, there were too many Slytherins around for his liking. "Not that many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."

"How does that work?" Madam Rosmerta asked as Joey and Yami dashed up to the bar to relieve Yugi of some of the tankards he'd been trying to carry, bringing them over to the tables, Harry was still frozen under the table where Hermione and Ron were sat listening hard to what was being said.

"An immensely complicated charm," Professor Flitwick said. "Involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find – unless, of course, the Secret Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"

"So Black was the Potters's Secret Keeper?" Whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Naturally," Said Professor McGonagall, "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters's Secret Keeper himself."

"He suspected Black?" Gasped Madam Rosmerta.

"He was sure someone close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," Said Professor McGonagall darkly, "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing on a lot of information to You-Know-Who."

"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"

"He did," Said Fudge heavily, "And then, barely a week after the Fidilius Charm had been preformed…"

"Black betrayed them?" Breathed Rosmerta.

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His Master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it…"

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went silent.

"Shh!" Said Professor McGonagall.

"I met him!" Growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead an' his parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flying motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred to me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd been Lily an' James's Secret Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attackan' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin' he was. An' yer know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.

"Hagrid, please!" Said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"

"How was I supposed ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily and James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, "Give Harry ter me Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him…" Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry outta there. "I won' need it any more." He says. I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it any more? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he's bin the Potters' Secert Keeper. Black knew he'd have ter run for it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him."

Ombre and Yami caught each others expressions; both showed they thought that this was no way for Harry to find out all of this. Yugi looked stunned; Ombre had her hand on her Hikari's arm, while both Kari and Hermione tried to concentrate on the conversation and the illusion spell at the same time.

"But what if I'd given Harry ter him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friend's son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em any more."

A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Pomfrey said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him the next day."

"Alas, if only we had," Said Fudge bitterly, "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew – another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and – knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret Keeper, he went after Black himself."

"Pettigrew… That fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" Asked Madam Rosmerta.

"Hero worshipped Black and Potter," Said Professor McGonagall, "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I… How I regret that now…" She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.

"There now, Minerva," Said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses, Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later, told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, "Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?" And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…"

Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy… foolish boy… he was always helpless at duelling… should have left it to the Ministry..."

"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldnt've messed around with wands – Id've ripped him limb from limb!" Hagrid growled.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," Said Fudge sharply, "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I – I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of blood stained robes and a few… a few fragments…"

Fudge's voice stopped abruptly; there was the sound of a few noses being blown. Yami looked at Yugi, who'd gone white. Yami squeezed his hand, _'I won't let him any where near you.'_

Yugi smiled weakly at him and Yami tried to ignore another headache, as Fudge started again, "Well, there you have it, Rosmerta." Said Fudge thickly, "Black was taken away by twenty members of Magical Law Enforcement Patrol and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which, I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."

Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh, "Is it true he's mad, Minister?"

"I wish I could say he was," Said Fudge slowly, "I certainly believe his Master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man… cruel… pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark, there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how **_normal_** Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd've thought he was merely bored – asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him – and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door, day and night."

"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" Said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"

"I daresay that is his – er – eventual plan." Said Fudge evasively, "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again…"

There was a small clink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.

"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the Headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle." Said Professor McGonagall.

One by one, the pairs of feet at the next table took the weight of their owners again, Madam Rosmerta disappeared behind the bar and the teachers and Cornelius Fudge disappeared out of the shop. Hermione and Kari lifted the illusion spell and Ron stuck his head under the table.

"Harry?" Ron asked, as Harry shot out of the pub, Yugi followed but lost him in Honeydukes.

The gang left Hogsmead quickly, meeting up with Harry in the Dining Hall, where Hermione and Ron watched Harry nervously. Harry would've shot up to the dormitory he shared with Yugi, Yami, Joey and Ron to be alone once they reached the Common Room, but found that the boys had decided to come with him, they were heading up the steps as a certain Black Norwegian Forest cat came down, carrying a certain rat.

"Kiyoshe!" Ron snarled, chasing the cat as it fled back up the stairs.

"Don't you dare hurt my cat!" Yami snarled, chasing the boy up the steps.

Harry, Joey and Yugi dashed after them, reaching the room to find Ron and Yami just starting a shouting match, Ron holding Scabbers tightly, while Yami was holding a struggling Kiyoshe who was desperately trying to get at Scabbers again.

"Your cats have been after Scabbers since the start of term! Scabbers is ill and your cats are insane!"

"Well you should keep better track of him! Kiyoshe is a cat, it's her duty to chase and catch vermin! If you're so worried about Scabbers then keep him where Kiyoshe, Bastet or Crookshanks can't get at him!"

"Vermin? You think Scabbers is vermin? Scabbers is a better pet than your cat'll ever be!" Ron bellowed.

Harry couldn't deal with this after everything he'd heard in the pub, and went and sat back out on the stairs, grabbing his photo album before leaving the two to fight. Yugi got between the two, and Joey took the opportunity to follow Harry out.

"You alright Harry?" Joey asked, sitting down by the boy as the volume in the dorm increased, "It wasn't right for you to find out like that."

Harry just looked through the photo album, stopping on a picture of his parents wedding day, "That's him Joey, that's the traitor who turned my parents over to Voldemort. From what the teachers were saying, Black and my Dad were as close as you and Yugi, he betrayed them in the worst possible way… was he planning on betraying my parents even then? Did he know then he'd end up in Azkaban?"

Joey shuddered; Malik had once forced him to fight Yugi in a Duel to the Death, using the powers of the Millennium Rod, which now belonged to Yugi and Yami, but for someone to willingly betray their best friend, when they knew the outcome would be death… Joey could quite understand the rage shown in Harry's eyes.

Joey's thoughts were broken by a yelp of pain and Yugi pushed past the two of them, "Yugi!" Yami's panicked voice followed the boy down the stairs, as the Pharaoh came dashing out, the Millennium Puzzle in hand. Kiyoshe escaped Yami's arms as the Pharaoh dashed after his hikari. However, by the time Yami had reached the Common Room, Yugi had dashed out of the portrait hole.


	9. Egypt and Christmas

"Harry, you look terrible!"

Harry looked around; the Common Room was empty except for Ron, who was eating a peppermint toad, while watching Joey and Ombre, who now had the Millennium Orb again, duel, and Hermione had spread her homework over three tables.

"Where's Yugi, Yami and Kari?"

"Kari's gone home, it's the first day of the holidays, and Yami's probably still trying to find Yugi to apologise. Yami got detention last night for looking for Yugi after curfew."

Harry's memory kicked in, "What actually happened last night?"

"Ron took a swing at Yami, then Yami took a swing at Ron but…"

"He hit Yugi instead." Ron said. "Yugi ran out of the common room and no one has seen him since, Yami's been looking most of the morning."

"Yami hit Yugi?"

"Not deliberately…" Yami said as he re-entered the Common Room, "Yugi was trying to break it up, and I shouted at him, and then hit him by accident, but I bet he thinks it was deliberate. He's been learning how to fight hasn't he?"

Joey smiled slightly, though he was still mad at the Pharaoh for hitting Yugi, even if it was an accident. "I've been teaching him. He's a quick learner, and it's not like you and me haven't sparred before." Yami shook his head, he and Joey had sparred quite a few times over the summer, to keep in shape, "I started teaching him and Harry last Christmas."

"Where is he?" Hermione asked, looking up from her homework.

"Mahado won't tell me where he is; just that Yugi is in a safe place and doesn't want to talk to me. I just want to apologise" Yami sighed, the Millennium Puzzle rested on his robes, "And I don't want to speak to him mind to mind, not when I keep getting those headaches every time I do, even if I could when Yugi doesn't have the puzzle." Yami looked as bad as Harry felt; neither boy had gotten much sleep, though for different reasons.

"You've not still got one?" Harry asked, seeing how bad Yami felt.

Yami stopped; he had not noticed until this moment, that the headache that had plagued him almost constantly since his near collapse (and before) was gone. "It's gone… my headache has gone completely." Yami looked at Harry carefully, "Harry, you look terrible!"

Harry smiled slightly, "You're the second person to tell me that."

"Well, they're right Harry; you don't look well at all." Ombre said, looking up from her cards.

"I'm fine." Harry said.

"Harry, listen," Hermione said, exchanging a look with Ron, "You must be upset about what we heard yesterday, but the thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid."

"Like what?"

"Like trying to go after Black." Ron said sharply.

Harry could tell they'd rehearsed the conversation while he'd been asleep. He didn't say anything.

"You won't, will you Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Because Black's not worth dying for." Ron said.

Harry looked at the two of them; they didn't seem to get it at all.

"D'you know what I see and hear every time a Dementor gets too near me?" Ron and Hermione shook their heads, looking apprehensive. Yami watched Harry warily and Joey and Ombre looked up from their duel. "I can hear my mum screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her…"

"There's nothing you can do!" Said Hermione, looking stricken. "The Dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and… and serve him right!"

"You heard what Fudge said. Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are. It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others."

"So what are you saying?" Said Ron, looking very tense, "You want to kill Black or something?"

"Don't be silly," Said Hermione, in a panicky voice, "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"

Again, Harry didn't answer. He didn't know what he wanted to do. All he knew was that the idea of doing nothing, while Black was at liberty, was almost more then he could stand.

"Malfoy knows," He said abruptly, "Remember what he was saying in Potions? If I was a friend or relative of one of Black's victims, I'd want revenge!"

"You're going to take Mouthboy's advice?" Ron asked, furiously, "Listen… you know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black had finished with him? Dad told me, the Order of Merlin, First Class, and Pettigrew's finger in a box. That was the biggest part of him they could find. Black's a madman, Harry, and he's dangerous…"

"Malfoy's Dad must've told him," Said Harry, ignoring Ron, "He was right in Voldemort's inner circle…"

"Say You-Know-Who, will you?" Interjected Ron, angrily.

"…So obviously, the Malfoy's knew Black was working for Voldemort…"

"And Malfoy'd love to see you get blow into a million pieces, like Pettigrew!" Ron snapped, "Get a grip, Malfoy's just hoping you'll get yourself killed before he has to play you at Quidditch."

"Harry," Yami said quietly, concern for his friend obvious, "Please think about this sensibly, what Black did was terrible but if you go after him, you'll be playing into his hands. When he turns up again, I'll be more then willing to help you exact whatever revenge you want, but your parents wouldn't want you to get hurt, or go looking for Black."

"I'll never know what they'd've wanted because, thanks to Black, I've never spoken to them." Snapped Harry.

There was a silence, in which Crookshanks stretched luxuriously, flexing his claws, and Bastet and Kiyoshe leapt up onto chairs by the fire. Ron's pocket quivered.

"Harry," Yami partly asked, "Can I borrow the Marauder's Map?"

"Uh, sure." Harry said, temporarily distracted from fuming. He went up to the dorm and brought down the map, checking no one was around before he opened it up and tapped it with his wand. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Once the map appeared properly, Harry laid it on the table. Yami scanned the map, ignoring the Common Rooms, then spotted the dot he was looking for and tapped the map with his wand, with the words, "Mischief managed." Then he shot out of the Common Room.

"So, what are the rest of us going to do?" Asked Joey as he and Ombre packed up their cards, "It's the holidays! It's nearly Christmas!"

"Yeah," Ron said, looking at Harry, who was still looking at the two titled dots on the map, "Let's… let's go visit Hagrid. We haven't visited him for ages."

"No." Ombre and Hermione said at the same time, "Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle."

"Yeah, let's go." Harry said, looking away from the map, "And I can ask him how come he never mentioned Black when he told me all about my parents."

Ombre groaned, she thought that they'd managed to distract Harry from that… obviously not. Further discussion of Black was not what she had in mind.

"Or we could carry on teaching you Duel Monsters; that deck you've built from the wizard Duel Monsters cards is quite strong." Ombre suggested.

"No, let's visit Hagrid." Said Harry firmly, rolling up the blank map.

So they got their cloaks from the dorms and set off through the portrait hole, down through the empty castle and out through the oak front doors. Their cloaks made a trench in the snow as they walked down to Hagrid's. The Forbidden Forest looked like it had been enchanted, each tree was smattered with silver and Hagrid's house looked like an iced cake.

Ron knocked, but there was no answer.

"He's not out, is he?" Hermione asked, shivering under her cloak.

"Hagrid?" Harry called, banging on the door, "Hagrid, are you in there?"

There was the sound of footsteps, then the door opened with a bang, causing Ron and Harry to have to get out of the way quickly. "Yeh've heard!" Hagrid said cheerfully, "Come in, come in."

Ron and Harry looked at each other, wondering what was up to make Hagrid so happy but they weren't expecting what they saw.

Bakura, without his amulet, drinking and celebrating with Hagrid.

"Wha…" Harry started, shocked. Bakura smirked.

"Of course," He said with a grin, "You wouldn't know would you?"

"Know what?" Joey growled, Bakura happy was not a good thing.

"Bakura 'ere passed the first part of the course for Beast Care and Tamin'." Hagrid said happily. Then he grimaced, "I though' he would've told yer."

"We don't speak to Bakura much." Hermione said quickly to stall any argument. She hadn't failed to notice the fact Ombre and Joey had moved to the front of the group, putting themselves between Bakura and the others.

 _Or at all if we can help it._ Joey thought, "Well, we're sorry to disturb your celebrations, we'll go now." Joey ushered them out. Once they were out of hearing range of Hagrid's hut, he turned to the others, "If Bakura is trying to pass a course on Beast Taming; he must be up to something."

"I think it's a course to allow someone to keep and train dangerous animals." Hermione said, "But I'm not sure."

"I think we should check it out," Harry said, "If Bakura's trying to get a licence to train dangerous animals it can't be good."

The others nodded, glad that Harry had been distracted. They ate little over lunch heading straight into the library to find out more.

Yugi and Yami returned to the Common Room that evening, looking as though they had a lot on their minds but neither would speak to the others about it. They were however interested to know what Bakura was up to.

"I knew it." Yami growled, the Millennium Symbol on the Puzzle flashed in response to his anger, "He's after one of the Hippogriffs!"

"Bakura with a Hippogriff?" Hermione blanched, "He's bad enough with that Dark Necrofear! He'd never take care of it and he'd try to get it to attack people!"

"Isn't there any way we can stop him?" No one had an answer.

* * *

Home was so close and yet so far.

But his search was renewed. All it had taken was Mana saying only five little words; "I want to go home."

They sat together now, reading his notes again to search for any hint of the way home.

It was… pleasant to feel her presence leaning against him, a ball of warmth by his side.

They were working together on the problem; the Dementors had managed to remind Mahado of an important fact. He was not alone. Then Mana had shown him that she was a powerful magician in her own right and no longer his apprentice.

He smiled down at her now, curled up against his side, snoring softly.

She had fallen asleep.

Mahado gently brushed her hair out of her eyes; she stirred slightly and murmured something in her sleep.

His protective urges rose again, he would keep her safe, but he would let her fight as well. She was a warrior, if he tried to wrap her in cotton wool then…

They would fight side by side, protecting each other's backs.

Kisara would never…

No.

It was Mana's turn to be the centre of his thoughts. He wouldn't let Kisara deprive her of that.

"I think I might love you." He told the sleeping Mana.

She smiled in her sleep.

* * *

Two days later, they were coming from the lakeside, where Joey, Ombre, Harry, Ron and Hermione had been having a snowball fight, to their second surprise of the holidays…

"Mr Muto?" Joey gasped, staring at the elderly gentleman, "What're you doing here?"

Solomon Muto smiled at Joey and Ombre, "I'm here to pick up Yugi, I thought he and Yami would be with you." He turned to Harry, Ron and Hermione, "Joseph, you haven't introduced me to your new friends."

"Mr Muto?" Hermione asked, "You must be Yugi's grandpa." She said respectfully, bowing as she introduced herself, "My name is Hermione Granger."

Ron bowed too, "I'm Ron Weasley."

Harry was about to bow as a black and red blur dashed down the stairs, Mr Muto turned around in time to stagger backwards as it collided with him. "Grandpa!"

Joey looked up the stairs, where Yami was stood, watching the scene unfold, from the next floor up. Solomon Muto was returning his Grandson's hug as Yami came down and joined the others.

"Grandpa, these are the friends I've told you about…" Yugi said.

"They were just introducing themselves." Yugi's Grandpa said, smiling and nodding at the Pharaoh, who was unhappy about what was about to happen.

"Sorry." Yugi apologised to his friends.

Harry smiled at his friend in response, slightly jealous but well aware that this man was the only family Yugi had had for the last seven years. He bowed to Mr Muto, "My name is Harry Potter." Solomon's eyebrows lifted in response, as a full blood wizard he couldn't help but know the name, but remembered that Yugi had said Harry hated it when people treated him differently because he was famous.

"It's nice to meet all of you." He said, and then turned to his Grandson, "Are you ready to go?"

"Where're you going?" Hermione asked as Professor Dumbledore descended the staircase.

"Didn't you tell them?" Solomon asked Yugi, who shook his head. "We're going to Egypt to see Yugi's parents. It's finally safe, they still had several curses on them when they were brought into the hospital, they had get to get one of Gringott's Curse Breakers to lift them in the end, a Bill Weasley I believe." Ron grinned as Yugi looked at him startled; Bill was one of Ron's brothers. "The memory loss was part of one of the curses they believe, as things are beginning to come back to them, we're hoping that's true."

Solomon looked at the group, while the others were excited at the possibility of Yugi's parent's coming home, the Pharaoh, Yami, caught his eye the most. The Pharaoh desperately wanted to come along with them, unwilling to let his hikari go without him, in case something went wrong. Other then his Grandpa, Yugi's family had consisted of his friends and Yami. He was surprised Yugi had hidden something like this from them, even if he had told the Pharaoh.

But there were two problems if Yami went; one was that the hospital was only allowing blood family at the moment, which, even though Solomon had adopted Yami, he wasn't considered blood family and therefore was ruled out.

The second was that he had a feeling that it wasn't time for Yami to return to his homeland yet, if he did, Mr Muto was sure he wouldn't be coming back, something would happen to keep him there, and a destiny fulfilled too soon (or too late for that matter) was likely to end badly.

"Solomon Muto." Professor Dumbledore said as he walked across the hall, "Welcome back to Hogwarts."

"Professor Dumbledore." Mr Muto bowed politely, "Thank you for allowing me to take my Grandson out of school for a few days."

"Your Grandson has inherited your knack for Games, I see Solomon."

"But not my knack for paying more attention to them then class work, I hope." Yugi's Grandpa replied, jokingly.

"No," Professor Dumbledore smiled, "I hear only good things about your Grandsons, except for a few incidences where their heroics have led them into trouble." Solomon looked at his grandson, blushed and looked away. Mr Muto rolled his eyes, "May I enquire how you intend to get to Cairo?"

Solomon shuddered, "The ministry has given access to one of their international Port Keys."

"Before you leave do you have time for a few private words? There is something I wish to discuss with you, but it could wait until you return."

"Well the train to London isn't due to leave for another hour so I do have some time, but Yugi" Solomon turn to consider his grandson, "I intend to leave in twenty minutes, so don't get involved in a duel while I'm gone."

"I'll be good Grandpa" Yugi replied.

"Good Luck, Yugi." Hermione said, giving him a hug. Joey ruffled his hair, while Harry and Ron shook his hand. Ombre just smiled and nodded. Then he turned to Yami.

"Take care Yugi." Yami said and Yugi nodded.

"You know I will." He said with a small smile, "See you on Christmas Eve." Yami nodded and Yugi headed up the stairs after his Grandpa and Professor Dumbledore. Yami watched him go, then was bombarded by questions from the others as to why he hadn't told them.

* * *

Yugi was sat in the waiting room of the hospital, waiting for the doctor.

He and his Grandpa had arrived by Port Key over an hour ago, and had been waiting ever since they'd finished being put through every cleansing spell Hermione and Kari had ever learnt and quite a few they hadn't. He now wasn't one hundred percent sure which was worse, Floo Powder or Port Keys, deciding he preferred the former of the two.

Professor Dumbledore had returned to Hogwarts almost immediately, only waiting long enough to tell them to use the Floo Powder he'd given his Grandpa, to return to Hogwarts on Christmas Eve and that they were free to use any of the fires that Yugi was allowed access to. His Grandpa had grimaced but nodded. Now they were waiting for the Doctor to see them before they were allowed to see Yugi's parents.

Yugi had been starting at the same walls for an hour and had decided that they must've been built a **very** long time ago, because in certain places they had hieroglyphs carved into them. He'd sent out what little Shadow Magic he had when he wasn't wearing the Puzzle and found out they were for spells of protection and cleansing. The door to the rest of the hospital opened and a doctor came over to them. He and Yugi's Grandpa spoke in Arabic for a moment and then the Doctor switched to Japanese for Yugi's sake.

"Well, young man, your parents seem to have made a remarkable recovery, and I believe they are looking forward to seeing you."

"They remember me?" Yugi asked excitedly.

"They certainly seem to." The doctor smiled, "What ever curse was blocking their memories was removed by Bill Weasley, along with several other curses. The Ancient Egyptians certainly were powerful wizards."

 _You have no idea._ Yugi thought to himself.

"If you'd like to follow me." The doctor said, leading them into the main body of the Hospital, the two Muto's followed as he led them up three flights of stairs, then stopped at the fourth door down which was labelled, Mr R Prewett and Mrs A Prewett. Yugi remembered that his Grandpa had officially adopted him, making him a Muto again, when his parents had vanished. "Well," The doctor said, "Good Luck."

 _I wish Yami was here._ Yugi thought as the Doctor left.

Yugi looked at his Grandpa, who nodded and pushed the door open…

Yami was pacing the Dormitory Floor, he was on his own, Yugi was in Egypt and the others were finishing Dinner. He hadn't been very hungry, he'd pulled out his Duelling Deck and had been going through it when he'd felt something calling to him and strong emotions. He'd checked with Mahado, it hadn't been him. So Yami had started pacing the Dorm, hoping everything was alright in Egypt. He was being stupid he knew this. Yugi was too far away to call to him, even if Yugi taken the Puzzle with him, instead of leaving it with Yami.

But still he couldn't help feeling that wave of anger and emotional pain, had come from Yugi.

* * *

Yugi had felt like curling into a ball and crying until there was nothing left of him bar a dried up husk.

The hospital had lied to him.

Their memories had returned.

But they weren't his parents.

They'd been at the dig with his parents but that wasn't the same. He'd cuddled into his Grandpa and wept. He longed for Yami and his friend's comfort but the distance between them was too great.

Yugi's Grandpa had been furious both with the Doctors, and at the archaeologists for pretending to be Yugi's parents. However they did know what had happened to Yugi's parents so, once Yugi calmed down, they were going to go back and find out. Whatever it was, it didn't sound good.

It turned out… it wasn't.

They'd been excavating the tomb of an ancient Princess from a foreign land, Yugi's eyes had lit up, it had to be Ombre's tomb. But all the cartouches had been blank, not destroyed, just blank, like they hadn't been told what to put in them, and the Egyptologists weren't divulging anymore then they had to.

Apparently during excavations they had come upon artefacts of a magical kind, but when they had tried to examine them closely a band of masked robed figures had stormed into camp, with wands and horses, and taken the artefacts, their research, including that of references to seven mystical Egyptian items and the artefact belonging to the Princess, and burnt the camp to the ground, then rode off. Yugi's mother had asked these archaeologists to look after the last artefact left, and ridden after them. They hadn't been seen since, but the two Egyptologists knew they were alive because they'd received owl post from Yugi's mother only two days ago, with a letter to give Solomon Muto.

"May I see the artefact?" Yugi asked, surprisingly calm, Solomon could see it hadn't sunk in. The Egyptologists nodded and passed Yugi the golden item, a golden crown, with golden wings coming out at the sides and the Millennium Symbol in the centre. Yugi closed his eyes, and nearly gasped out loud at the images he saw, images from Ancient Egypt, they had to be linked to Yami's memories. He felt drained as he opened his eyes, the two archaeologists were staring at him.

"You were glowing." Solomon explained.

"May I keep this?" Yugi asked, the two nodded quickly and handed over the letter from Yugi's mum.

**_Dear Father._ **

**_We apologise for being away so long, we honestly meant to return long before now, but the group we are hunting continue to evade us. We're both safe and sound though, thank goodness for small mercies._ **

**_We've seen Yugi on television; he's inherited your gaming streak. We're very proud of him. You have been being careful to conceal magic from him, haven't you? We wanted our son to grow up thinking he's normal, and not have to be aware of everything he can't do simply because he doesn't have magic._ **

**_We realise that we should have returned a long time ago, it's been seven years and we never meant to leave Yugi with you this long. Apologise to Yugi for our delay in coming home, will you?_ **

**_One thing we must ask. Is that upside down Pyramid Yugi wears the puzzle you found in Egypt? If it is, there will be people who will try to take it from him. He must take great care of it._ **

**_Tell little Yugi that we will be home as soon as we can, we promise, and that we love him,_ **

**_Thank you for all you've done for Yugi,_ **

**_Your loving daughter,_ **

**_Aiko Prewett._ **

**_P.S. Roland says Merry Christmas._ **

Solomon Muto stared at the parchment, then looked over at Yugi, who was examining the crown, and decided Yugi had to read it for himself.

He passed Yugi the letter, and Yugi looked at him twice as he read. Solomon knew he had some explaining to do as Yugi shed more tears, they were alive, his parents were alive, and they loved him. He missed the conversation between his Grandpa and Alexia and Mickey, he wanted to get his hopes up for their quick return, but knew better, after all, that had been what they had said when they'd left him with his Grandpa.

But they were alive; he could draw hope from that.

He and his Grandpa headed for the hotel, the Golden crown in Yugi's bag weighing on his mind. His parents had been excavating Ombre's tomb, they would have information on Ombre, they could have ideas on Yami's past, and they'd be coming home soon.

That was the thing that hit him hardest.

He may not have seen them today.

But they'd be home soon.

It was Christmas Eve and Yami was pacing again, driving Joey and the others up the wall.

"He'll be back when he's back!" Joey finally snapped from one of the tables, "Pacing won't make him leave Egypt any faster."

"If it is his parents, then he might not want to come back for Christmas." Hermione said, watching as the Pharaoh paced up and down and up and down, the smells of cooking had finally permeated through the school and reached the Gryffindor Common Room making Joey's tummy rumble more then once.

Joey and Ombre tried to continue their duel, but they could see Yami pacing in the corner of his eye, with distracted Joey enough to cause him to slam down the cards in his hand and storm over to the Pharaoh. "Will you sit…"

A knocking noise came from the common room door, making Joey and Yami jump, and Ombre got up to open it, revealing Yugi and his Grandpa. "Hi guys."

"Yugi…?" Yami asked, seeing the look on his hikari's face.

"It wasn't them, but they had a letter from my parents, and," He pulled the crown out from his bag, "This."

A memory flashed past Yami's eyes, he knew that crown!

"Here." Yugi said, passing it to him.

Yami closed his eyes as his mind was assaulted by a barrage of images. Images from Egypt. He opened his eyes, and looked at Yugi. "What?"

"I think they were excavating Ombre's Tomb." Yugi said, making Ombre rush over.

"Did they have any information on me?"

Yugi told them everything that the archaeologists had told him, and showed Yami the letter, which got passed around. Solomon tapped his Grandson on the shoulder.

"I'm going to tell Professor Dumbledore that we're back." Yugi nodded.

"What's the password, guys?" Yugi asked.

"Scurvy Seadogs." Joey said shortly.

"I'll see you later." Mr Muto said to his Grandson, and left the Common Room. Yugi watched him go.

"Are you really alright with your parents still being missing?" Hermione asked.

Yugi shook his head, "But at least I know they're alive."

* * *

The next morning, Yami was just drifting back off to sleep when something landed on him and pulled the blankets off, before vanishing with said blankets and hiding.

"Yugi!" Yami complained, shivering, "Gimme those back!" Yugi laughed as Yami got off the bed and looked around, if he was his hikari where would he hide? Yami tried to trace Yugi using the little link they still had without the Puzzle, and growled slightly when he lost his hold on it.

"No cheating!" Yugi's voice called, he couldn't pinpoint it but it sounded muffled. Joey smirked, this was worth getting out of bed for, Yugi could be invisible when he wanted to, not literally, but his years of having to escape from bullies had made Yugi brilliant at hiding. Joey got up and watched the Pharaoh search for his hikari.

"Merry Christmas, Hermione, Ombre." Said Yami as he passed the girl.

"Merry Christmas, Yami." They replied, they'd had experience of Yugi on Christmas morning, he was extremely bouncy normally. Harry, Ron and Joey nodded; Yami was too busy trying to work out where Yugi had gone.

Yami smirked; he thought he knew where his hikari was. Yugi hadn't dashed down the stairs; Yami had had a clear view of them. So he had to be up here somewhere and he thought he knew where. He gestured to Joey and Ron who followed him over to Yugi's bed and Yami looked underneath.

Yugi looked up at him with huge violet eyes and laughed, rolling out and avoiding the three boys as he dashed out the door, poking his tongue out as he went. Yami pulled his blankets out from under Yugi's bed before poking his head out the door, "Yugi!" He called, "You may be down there, but we have all your presents up here!"

"But I'm holding all of your presents ransom down here!" Yugi yelled back after Yami had stopped laughing. Yami turned to look and saw that Yugi had somehow moved all his presents from where Hermione had put them.

"How did he…?" Ron asked, Yami shrugged, he had no idea. He had to wonder if Yugi had been taking lessons on his Shadow Magic, from Mahado. Then he spotted a pile of empty wrappers by Yugi's bed, all for chocolate bars.

"Uh oh!" Yami breathed, "Yugi on a sugar-rush alert."

"But I thought he was asleep!" Joey said, blanching, he'd rather face an angry Snape then a hyper-active Yugi, the latter was more dangerous.

"So did I." Yami said, counting, one… two… eight… nine… How had Yugi gotten so much chocolate? There was a note on the hikari's bedside table. **_Here you go Yugi, early Christmas present, the rest of your present to arrive on Christmas day! From Kari._** "I'm gunna kill her."

"Do you think this is revenge for not saving her from her parents?" Harry asked.

"She's a hikari, she wouldn't… would she?" Ron said.

"She would." Yami groaned, reading the note she'd sent to him, "Hi Yami, yes I gave Yugi the chocolate: p, this is payback for making me put up with my parents this Christmas! Merry Christmas to everyone, Kari." Yami growled, "I'm really gunna kill her if she gave him more chocolate for Christmas!" He looked carefully at the wrappers, there was a funny green gunge on them that had come from the inside of the bars, he guessed. He poked it, it was sticky like caramel.

Hermione shot down the stairs, "I'll get them back."

"Hey Harry?" Ron half asked, as they looked over their presents, "What's that?" He asked, pointing to a long thin package.

"I dunno." Harry said, ripping the packaging off. Ron walked over to Harry's bed.

"I don't believe it!" Ron whispered.

"What?" Yami asked, coming over as Ron and Harry gaped at it.

It was a Firebolt, identical to the broomstick Yugi and Harry had eyed up almost the entire time they'd been in Diagon Alley. Its handle glittered as Harry picked it, he could feel it vibrating, and let it go; it hug in mid air, unsupported, at exactly the right height for him to mount.

Yugi dashed up the stairs, carrying Yami's presents, and froze. "Is that a…?" Yugi asked, reverently. He dropped Yami's presents on his bed and walked over, "That is! It's a Firebolt!"

"Who sent it to you?" Ron asked quietly.

"Is there a card?" Yami searched through the wrapping paper.

"No."

"Blimey Harry," Ron said, "Who's spend that much on you?"

"Well," Said Harry, feeling stunned, "I'm betting it wasn't the Dursleys."

"I bet it was Dumbledore." Ron said, eyeing up the Firebolt, "After all, he sent you the invisibility cloak anonymously!"

"That was his dad's though." Ombre said, she could hear Hermione coming up the stairs. "He wouldn't spend hundreds of Galleons on one student; he can't go giving students presents like this."

"That's why he wouldn't say it was from him," Said Ron, "In case some git like Draco said it was favouritism. Hey Harry!" Ron gave a great whoop of laughter, "The Malfoys! Wait till they see you on this! They'll be sick as a pig! This is an **_international standard_** broom!"

"I can't believe this!" Harry muttered, running a hand along the Firebolt, while Ron laughed his head off and Joey and Yami smirked at the thought of Draco and Bakura's reactions. Yugi was too busy ogling the broomstick. Yami had to look at his hikari twice, was that envy he saw in Yugi's eyes? No, it couldn't be. "Who?"

"I know who it could've been! Lupin!" Ron said, controlling himself.

"What?" Asked Harry, now starting to laugh himself, "Lupin? Listen, if he had that much gold, he'd be able to buy himself some new robes."

"Yeah, but he likes you," Said Ron, "And he was away when your Nimbus got smashed, and he might've heard about it and decided to visit Diagon Alley and get it for you."

"What'd you mean he was away?" Harry asked, as Yugi examined every square inch of the broom, "He was ill when we played that match."

"Well he wasn't in the hospital wing," Said Ron, "I was there, cleaning out the bedpans on that detention from Snape, remember?"

Yami frowned, "I can't see Lupin affording something like this."

"What about Kaiba?" Ron asked, Yami, Yugi, Joey and Ombre just burst into laughter.

"What?"

"It's not like Kaiba ever notices Harry, he's too busy glaring at Yami." Ombre replied when she got her breath back.

"What're you lot laughing about?" Hermione asked as she entered the room, holding Crookshanks, who was in a bad mood and had tinsel tied around his neck.

"Don't bring him in here!" Ron said, hurriedly snatching Scabbers up. Hermione wasn't paying attention. She had dropped Crookshanks, who had vanished under Yami's bed, where Kiyoshe was hiding.

"Oh Harry! Who sent you that?"

"No idea." Harry said, "There wasn't a card or anything with it." To the groups surprise Hermione didn't look either excited or intrigued by the news. Instead, her face fell and she bit her lip.

"What's wrong?" Yami asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said slowly, "But it's a bit odd isn't it? I mean this is supposed to be a good broom, isn't it?"

"It's the best broom there is, Hermione." Yugi said, finally turning away from the broom.

"Exactly. So it must've been really expensive."

"It is." Yami murmured.

"Well, who'd send Harry something that expensive and not even tell him, they'd sent it?"

"Who cares?" Ron asked, "Hey Harry, can I have a go on it? Can I?"

"Can I have a go?" Yugi asked straight after, "Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I?" Yami glared at the sweet wrappers that were still led on his hikari's bed, this was more then just a reaction to chocolate first thing in the morning.

"I don't think anyone should ride that broom yet!" Hermione said shrilly.

"What did you think Harry was going to do with it?" Ron asked, "Sweep the floor?"

Before Hermione could answer, Crookshanks and Kiyoshe sprang out from under Yami's bed, right at Ron.

"GET THEM OUT OF HERE!" Ron roared, trying to kick the cats and missing, hitting Harry's trunk instead. Ron howling in pain as Yugi took the opportunity to take the last of his chocolate and dive down the stairs.

* * *

Yami lost track of Yugi over the day and it wasn't until they went down for lunch and didn't see Yugi sat at the table that he started to worry. Joey however blocked his path to the table and gulped.

"Ummm, Yami." Joey said warily, Yugi's wand in his hand. Yami gave him an odd look, Joey wasn't normally afraid to say anything, "Ummm, don't shoot the messenger but…" Joey pointed upwards.

Yami looked up at the ceiling.

"How the hell…?" Yami trailed off.

Yugi was sat on the ceiling, looking unhappy.

"Yugi, get down from there."

"Love to." Yugi sighed, "Can't."

"How did you get up there in the first place?"

"I'm not telling you until you get me down." Yugi replied.

At the opposite end of the singular large table that was laid out for the meal, Bakura was silently laughing, Draco on the other hand was looking half amused and half pissed off, Ombre wondered what Bakura had done to piss Draco off for all of about two seconds before she spotted Yugi on the ceiling.

Kaiba had entered just after Yami, having been convinced by Mokuba to stay over Christmas, complaining loudly about people stopping in the doorway for about thirty seconds before noticing Yugi on the ceiling. Mokuba tried not to giggle as Kaiba glared at Yugi on the ceiling.

"I know that can't be the Weasley twins fault, they're not here." Ombre said pulling her wand out. It was at this point the teachers walked in.

"Miss Ironhide put your wand…" Professor McGonagall trailed off, "Mr Muto, how did you get up there?"

"Can you get me down?" Yugi asked.

"Finite Incantum." Professor McGonagall sighed with a wave of her wand, Yugi stayed where he was. Professor McGonagall stared at her wand then retried the spell, this time with assistance from Professor Dumbledore. Yugi fell off the ceiling, and though Professor Dumbledore slowed his decent, he landed on Yami, causing Bakura to laugh really loudly and if it hadn't been for the fact everyone else was taking their seats, and Professor Dumbledore was waiting for them, Yami probably would've leapt on Bakura there and then. As it was it took most of the group to get Yami to sit down without leaping on the Tomb Robber across the table.

"Not now." Ombre hissed, "Wait until after Dinner."

The Transfiguration Teacher joined them at the table, her misty gaze watching everyone as Yami and Bakura spent the entire time glaring at each other. Yami and Bakura left the Great Hall at the same time, leaving the others sat at the table, the boys stood up, Harry and Ron laughing, Yugi and Joey concerned about whatever Yami was up to. "You coming, Hermione, Ombre?"

They shook their heads, "I want a word with Professor McGonagall." Hermione said, Ombre just poked her Christmas pudding in response. The boys headed up to the Common Room. Harry rushed straight upstairs to the dorm, bringing his Firebolt down as Yugi and Joey started a Duel.

Yami came into the Common Room, a smirk on his face, it was one Yugi recognised.

"What did you do to him?" Yugi asked resignedly.

"He'll be fine by the start of term." Yami replied, his smirk growing.

"Fine, but what did you…?" Yugi was interrupted as Professor McGonagall, Hermione and Ombre came back into the Common Room. Ombre looked ashamed and distanced herself from the teacher and student.

"So that's it is it?" Professor McGonagall asked, walking over to Harry's broomstick, "Granger told me you'd been sent a broomstick, Potter." Harry nodded dumbly, "May I?" The Professor didn't wait for an answer but picked up the broom, examining it carefully, "Hmmm. And there was no note? Or card? No message of any kind?" Again Harry shook his head. "I'm afraid I have to take this, Potter."

"What?" Harry exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. "Why!"

"It will need to be checked for jinxes," Said Professor McGonagall, "Of course I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down."

"Strip it down?" Repeated Yugi and Ron, as though the Professor was mad.

"It shouldn't take more then a few weeks." Professor McGonagall said, Harry and Ron tried to reason with her to no avail. The moment Professor McGonagall had left the Common Room, Ron turned on Ombre and Hermione.

"WHAT DID YOU GO RUNNING TO MCGONAGALL FOR?"

"I didn't." Ombre snapped in reply, "I just wanted to check how Kari was doing with her extra lessons."

"I did." Hermione said defiantly, "Because I thought… And Professor McGonagall agrees with me… that that broom was probably sent to Harry, by Sirius Black!"


	10. Dementors and AntiDementor Lessons

"Alright guys, what did you do this ye… what's wrong?" Kari asked her grin dying as she looking around the almost empty Common Room on the day before term started, having finally escaped her parent's house. Hermione was being shunned by the rest of the group and was sat reading on the windowsill while the others were gathered around the fire.

"Kari! You're back early, the rest of the school aren't due to arrive till later on." Ombre said, smiling.

"Couldn't stand my parents any longer so I wrote to Dumbledore who allowed me to Floo here early." Kari frowned, "Draco was giving me an odd look as I came up the stairs though, but there was no sign of Bakura…" Yami's evil smirk returned. "Oh. Right. What did you do?"

"It should wear off sometime today. How was your Christmas?"

Joey gave an exasperated sigh, as Kari gave him an odd look, Yugi just shook his head, "He won't tell any of us."

Kari rolled her eyes, "It was a Christmas, Robyn had gone away again so I got stuck with my parents all Christmas. What about you guys? And why is Hermione sat all the way over there?"

"Harry got a Firebolt for Christmas." Ron stated with a glare at Hermione.

"Seriously?"

Harry nodded, as Ron continued, "But there wasn't a note or a letter or anything with it so it's been confiscated because Hermione told Professor McGonagall and she wants it stripped down." Kari looked over at her best friend who stared at her defiantly, her eyes asking if she was going to yell too.

"What if it was sent by Black?" Kari said finally, not missing the relief in Hermione's eyes that someone was on her side.

"Not you too!" Ron exclaimed exasperatedly.

"If Professor McGonagall wanted it stripped down, it had to be stripped down BUT…" Kari had to shout over the noise of her friend's outraged comments, "I've heard somewhere that professional Quidditch Players have their brooms stripped down before and after every game in case of tampering or cheating, so I doubt it'll do the broom any harm."

"But there's no guarantee Harry'll get it back before the next Quidditch match!"

"Sure, because a broomstick is **_so_** much more important then your friend's life, I thought you of all people would know better, Yugi Muto." Yugi looked away and Yami glared at her, she returned the glare with one of her own.

Their glaring contest was interrupted by Professor McGonagall who entered the Common Room with a glare of her own, aimed at Yami, who looked her in the eyes and suddenly tried to look innocent, "Mr Muto, Professor Snape has come to me complaining about an attack on one of his students, while they won't inform me of exactly what happened, you are named as the culprit."

"Professor! You can't blame him! Bakura was the one who put Yugi on the ceiling of the Great Hall! He started it!" Ron complained.

"Regardless of who started it, you, Yami Muto, are not supposed to retaliate in that fashion. I'm assigning you three weeks of Wednesday and Saturday detentions; you're to come to me at six o'clock each time. Understand?" Yami nodded, and she left.

"Totally worth it." Yami said with a slightly evil smirk, Yugi just sighed, but the argument from before was well and truly forgotten as they tried to get Yami to tell them what he'd done to Bakura.

Harry spoke to Wood later that night who said he'd speak to McGonagall about getting Harry's Firebolt back.

Lessons started the next day. Hagrid provided a bonfire full of salamanders for their first lesson, and they spent an unusually good lesson collecting firewood to keep the blaze going. The Harry's first divination lesson of the new term was horrendous, Professor Trelawney was teaching palmistry and wasted no time in telling Harry he had the shortest life lines she'd ever seen. Harry looked forward to Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Lupin promised to start his anti-Dementor lessons on Thursday Evening.

"He still looks ill." Ron said as they made their way down to dinner. "I wonder what's wrong?"

Hermione looked like she was about to say something but Kari gave her a look which clearly said "No, not now."

"What?" Ron asked.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Hermione asked, ignoring the exasperated look she was getting from Kari who dragged her away from the group, Ombre following.

"They don't know." Ron said, glaring the way the girls had gone, "She's just trying to get the rest of us to talk to her again."

Yami wasn't so sure.

* * *

At eight o'clock Thursday evening, Harry left Gryffindor Tower and arrived at the empty History of Magic classroom. The lamps were already lit and Harry pushed opened the door, wondering if Lupin was already here. He wasn't but there was someone else sat on a desk, someone Harry wouldn't have expected though it made sense if he thought about it, after all the boy was the only other person to have a fit around the Dementors.

Bakura was sat on a desk, glaring at him.

"What're you doing here?" Bakura demanded.

"Lessons with Lupin." Harry snapped back, Bakura just glared at him but didn't say anything as Professor Lupin entered the classroom.

"Are you both ready?" He asked as he heaved a large packing case onto Professor Binn's desk.

"What is that?" Harry asked, apprehensively.

"A Boggart." Said Lupin, slipping off his cloak, "It's the nearest we'll get to a real Dementor. It will transform into a Dementor when it sees Harry, I'm not sure if this will work for you though Bakura." Bakura frowned. "The spell I'm about to try to teach you is highly advanced magic, boys, well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. It is called the Patronus Charm."

"How does it work?" Harry asked.

"When it works properly it conjured up a Patronus, which is kind of an Anti-Dementor… a guardian which acts as a shield between you and the Dementor." Bakura snorted, "The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of all the things a Dementor feeds upon, hope, happiness, the desire to survive, but it cannot feel despair like humans can so the Dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you both, that the charm may be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have trouble with it."

Bakura didn't look too happy as Harry asked, "What does a Patronus look like?"

"Each one is unique to the wizard that conjures it."

"How do you conjure it?" Bakura asked, if he was going to take extra lesson, especially with one of the Pharaoh's stupid group, he wanted it over and down with quickly.

"With an incantation that will only work if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, happy memory." Bakura scowled as Harry nodded. "If you'll move to the back of the room Bakura, and we'll let Harry go first." Bakura did so. A happy memory? What happy memories did he have left that hadn't been ruined?

"The incantation is this… Expectro Patronum." Harry and Bakura nodded, and Harry mumbled it under his breath, while Bakura tried to think of something, anything that would count as a happy memory had wasn't too painful or tainted. Something slivery shot out of Harry's wand that looked like a silver whisp of smoke.

"Did you see that?" said Harry excitedly, "Something happened!"

"Very good," Said Lupin, smiling, "Ready to try it on a Dementor, boys?" Harry nodded, Bakura didn't look too certain. Lupin lifted the lid of the packing case. A Dementor rose slowly out of the box, its hooded face pointed towards Harry.

Bakura felt the Dementor's effects even with its attention turned to Harry, dragging him deep into memories he wished he could bury away, his family being slaughtered by the Pharaoh's guard, his mother, father, sister…

" _Bakura!"_

"Bakura!"

Bakura jerked out of it, he was led on the floor, Harry was just sitting up, "Are you alright?" Lupin asked. Bakura quickly got to his feet, "I'm fine." He snapped, snatching the offered chocolate frog. Harry was looking over at him, and Bakura glared back.

"Harry, if you'll step aside and let Bakura try." Harry nodded, looking frustrated and Lupin looked at Bakura as he stepped forward. "Are you ready for this?" Bakura just glared at Lupin. Lupin opened the chest again and the Boggart appeared again, but instead of a Dementor, it took the form of one of the Pharaoh's Guards. Bakura snarled, an old fear, one he thought he'd conquered, he quickly pulled out a dagger from underneath his robes. Harry flinched away but Lupin just looked at him, "Bakura, the repelling charm for a Boggart is Riddikulus, you have to try to make it amusing, it's defeated by laughter."

Bakura's black look became an evil smirk, "Riddikulus." He said with a smirk, the guard's head fell off, Bakura found this highly amusing and Harry had to wonder what the man had done to deserve that. As it was the Boggart retreated into the packing crate and Lupin closed the lid. He turned to Bakura with a look that Harry couldn't quite read, why had Bakura been afraid of an armed man?

Lupin looked over at Harry, then back at Bakura. "We're going to have to arrange for a different sort of lesson to teach you the Patronus, a Boggart isn't going to be much use in your training… Meet me tomorrow after class, I think I'll be able to get a substitute but it won't be as effective." Bakura nodded and left quietly, Harry and Lupin continued the lesson, trying the spell two more times before Lupin called it a night, Harry tried to get Lupin to talk about Black but Lupin had no intention of speaking about it. He felt drained as he crammed the last bit of chocolate into his mouth and headed back to the Common Room.

Yugi and Yami were sharing the sofa next to the fire, Yami was sat down with a book and Yugi leant into him, the hikari was fast asleep, Joey and Ombre were teaching Ron a few new tricks with his deck and Kari and Hermione were reading some books they'd gotten out of the library. "Hey Harry, how'd it go?" Kari asked, looking up from ' _Ancient Cultures and Magical Artefacts.'_ Yugi opened his eyes and looked over at Harry.

"It went." Harry said with a sigh, "Bakura was there too, apparently he needs anti-Dementor lessons too."

"Bakura's trying to learn the Patronus charm?" Yami was surprised, "Why would he have trouble with the Dementors? Most of the evil in his life since we awoke has been his fault."

"Dunno, but he passed out when facing the Boggart-Dementor too, so whatever he remembers, it's got to be bad." Yami nodded, looking thoughtful.

"I suppose even an evil person like Bakura must have bad memories that they don't want to face."

"Bakura can't really be evil, Yami that's too much of a black and white version of the world." Yugi said, looking at his dark half with an odd look on his face.

"But he's caused nothing but trouble, he keeps trying to attack the gang, are you telling me you think there's something good in the Tomb Robber?"

"Just because someone doesn't like you, doesn't make them a bad person, Yami!"

Harry decided to back away towards their dorm, slowly and quietly, he needn't have bothered, as Yami and Yugi were glaring at each other too intently to remember Harry, or any of the others sat in the room, was there.

Joey frowned, Yugi and Yami almost never fought, and now they were picking fights over small things, he was tempted to poke his nose in to fid out the real problem…

Maybe later… When both Yugi and Yami had stopped glaring…

* * *

Ravenclaw played Slytherin a week after the start of term. Slytherin won, though narrowly. According to Wood, this was good news for Gryffindor, who would take second place if they beat Ravenclaw too. He therefore increased the amount of team practises to five times a week. This meant that between Lupin's anti-Dementor classes and Wood's practises, Harry only had one night to do his homework, and was glad of the help offered by Kari, whose mood swings seemed to have retreated to a Yami level instead of a Kaiba level.

Hermione though, seemed to be under even greater strain with her workload, every night, without fail, she was to be found in a corner of the Common Room, with books, Arithmancy charts, rune dictionaries, and file upon file of extensive notes, she barely spoke to anyone, and snapped if she was disturbed.

"How's she doing it?" Ron muttered to Harry one evening, as Harry sat finishing an evil essay on Undetectable Poisons, for Snape. Harry looked up, Hermione was barely visible behind a teetering pile of books.

"Doing what?"

"Getting to all her classes, Yugi swears blind that she hasn't missed a single class that he's had without the rest of the gang, but she's always been in class with us at the same time!"

Harry wasn't really paying attention; he really needed to get on with the essay. However, five second later he was disturbed by Wood. "Bad news Harry, I've just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. She – er- got a bit shirty with me. Told me I'd gotten my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup then I do about you staying alive. Just because I told her I didn't care if it threw you off as long as you caught the Snitch first…" Wood shook his head, "Honestly, the ways she was yelling at me, you'd've thought I'd said something terrible…" Harry could hear Kari's attempts at keeping her laughter muffled, she was failing miserably, "Then I asked her how long she'd be keeping it…" He screwed up his face and imitated Professor McGonagall's severe voice. "As long as necessary Wood. I reckon it's time you ordered a new broom Harry, there's an order form at the back of Which Broomstick, you could get a Nimbus Two Thousand and One, like Malfoy's got."

"I'm not buying anything the Malfoys think are good." Said Harry flatly.

* * *

It was Saturday morning and Yugi and Boh were sat outside, near the lake side closest to the Forbidden Forest.

The ground was soggy because of the snow, but Yugi didn't care, he was sat in a tree, on a thick branch, leant against the trunk, with his eyes closed. He needed time to go through things; going to Egypt hadn't made his parents disappearances go away like he'd hoped. They were still missing, and now to top it up, some unknown bad guy had the information on the Millennium Items.

Yugi wasn't sure he could deal with another evil plot on top of everything that had happened so far, and he wasn't just thinking about this school year.

Boh, who was sat on the branch below, watched him with a worried look in his eyes, Yugi, his friend, was still unhappy, Boh could sense it, he couldn't understand why no one else could.

Yugi sighed, Yami had the Millennium Puzzle still, so he had the chance to think without anyone prying into his mind, Boh would ask, unless it was urgent, Yami was there all the time, not that Yugi was complaining, he and Yami were two halves of the same whole, having Yami's thoughts and feelings in his head felt natural, but Yugi wanted to think things through without Yami acting as the voice of reason or unreason as the case might be.

 _Yugi,_ Boh said urgently, Yugi's eyes shot open, a boy with white hair was stood on the shore of his side of the lake, and looking in his direction. Yugi was suddenly glad that he was shielded from view by the tree's branches. The white haired boy went into the forest and Yugi got down, if that was Ryou, he shouldn't go into the forest alone, but if that was Bakura, he should keep an eye on him to check he wasn't up to something.

_Yugi, you shouldn't go in there, it's past the boundaries of the school._

" _I know, but one way or the other, no one should go in there alone. Wait here and cover for me, I'll call if I need you."_ Yugi followed the boy in, keeping out of sight. He followed him to a clearing in the woods, where the boy stopped and looked around, as creatures came out of the woodwork. Yugi climbed up into a tree to avoid detection, but carried on watching.

The boy was talking to the beasts, and it didn't look like what ever they were talking about was good.

The boy was moving into the centre of the clearing when it went cold, Yugi gasped as he recognised the feeling and the beasts fled as Dementors swooped in. The white haired boy froze and Yugi pulled his wand out of his pocket, climbing down quickly as the Dementors launched an attack on the boy, causing the boy to collapse to his knees as they sucked away all the good memories.

Yugi rushed over, _"BOH!"_ He mentally yelled, then "Everte Statum!" He shouted pointing his wand at a Dementor, Yugi wasn't surprised to see it was Bakura, he may not like the Tomb Robber, but no one deserved the fate the Dementors would give out, and he didn't have time to think about it as the group of Dementors turned their attention away from Bakura. Yugi blanched, "Everte Statum! Everte Statum! Everte Statum!" Yugi shouted desperately.

The boy on the ground was getting up slowly, but it didn't matter, Yugi's vision was growing dark, "Stay with me, runt," Bakura snarled, "Or I'll never get us out of here." The two backed up slowly, but found themselves surrounded. Bakura growled as the Pharaoh's runt nearly collapsed again, "Muto!"

"I know, I know." Yugi growled.

Bakura looked at him, why hadn't he thought things through? The Dementors fed on happiness and hope, and the runt had almost boundless quantities of those. Almost boundless, they were failing now. If they could do this to the Pharaoh's runt what could they do to…? "Why the hell did the Pharaoh let you out here in the first place?"

"Doesn't know I'm out here! Everte Statum!" Yugi yelled the second part, then collapsed to his knees, Bakura watched him go white, "E… Everte… Evert…Ever..." Yugi's voice drew to a whisper, then he passed out, slumping on the spot.

Bakura pulled out his wand, trying to think of any happy memory he could use, "Expectro Patronum!" Bakura shouted desperately, but his wand didn't respond, "Expectro Patronum!" He tried again.

Then, with a growl, Bakura reached for his deck, but it was unnecessary as red lightening rained down from the sky, followed by fire and magic as the three grown silver dragons, Emerald Dragon, Red Eyes Darkness and Red Eyes Black, swooped down out of the sky and fought off the Dementors, the fuzzball, and the two magicians came from the trees, the Dark Magician placed himself between Yugi and the Dementors who were fleeing the assault, while the Dark Magician Girl stood with her back to the battle, glaring at Bakura, she looked like she was going to demand something.

Dark Necrofear appeared out of nowhere, firing dark energy towards the Dementors before grabbing Bakura, and then moved into a darker shadow and vanished. Mana sighed as she turned towards the battle, the dragons swooping and wheeling around, then making a tactical retreat back to the castle as the Dementors returned in strength, Mahado easily lifted Yugi's small frame up and Mana grabbed Boh, who was nearly toppling over and she raced after Mahado, only feeling safe once they'd reached the Monster's Wing, where Mahado led Yugi down on his bed, since Boh's was too small, with four words, "I'll use the sofa."

"Shouldn't we take him to the infirmary?" Mana asked, concern written all over her face. Mahado sighed as Mana looked up at him, her face pale.

Unknown to them in every room of the wing, (even one that had been long unused but held in reserve) both on this floor and the in extension that had been opened to house the Purple Eyes Silver Dragons, mentally and physically drained Duel Monsters were collapsing onto beds and nests, facing the Dementors had been difficult for all of them.

"After that fight this morning there's no space in the Infirmary."

"What started it?"

"I'm not sure, Minneola was on duty." Mahado growled softly, he turned on Boh, who was still unsteady on his feet, "What was Yugi doing out there, and with Bakura?" He demanded. Boh wouldn't look at him, "Why didn't you tell us sooner that Yugi was going into the forest?"

"He told me to cover for him," Boh squeaked, "We didn't know if it was Ryou or Bakura so Yugi followed him." Mana rested a hand on Boh, the fuzzball was shaking, she could sense fear, and anger, "And how was I supposed to know who to call?" Boh demanded, Mahado looked at him in shock, it was unusual for the Kuriboh to shout or show anger towards others, "Yugi and the Pharaoh are barely speaking at the moment, calling you will cause another argument between them and when they fight, Yugi feels worse! And it's not like I'm going to call any of the dragons, not when the Pharaoh would Shadow Realm me in a moment for even suggesting they could protect Yugi as well as, or better then, him."

"Why haven't you…" Mahado didn't get to finish his question as Joey and the Pharaoh rushed into the Monster's Wing, fear easy to sense. _In here, my Pharaoh._ Mahado called, they walked in. The Pharaoh's face was ash white. He sat down on the bed, next to Yugi and looked up at Mahado, while Joey leant on the door frame.

"What happened?" Joey asked, anger growing, Mahado could see it in his eyes. Boh was cowering behind Mana.

"Yugi was attacked." Mana said, her voice oddly clipped, Yami glared at her.

"You're hiding something from us. What happened?" Yami demanded, his voice revealing just how little control he had on his temper right then.

"Yugi had a run in with the Dementors, he was unconscious when we reached him." Mahado explained, watching the Pharaoh carefully, he couldn't allow him to send anymore Dementors to the Shadow Realm.

"The Dementors shouldn't enter school… where're you going?" Joey asked as Yami stood up and almost stormed out of the room.

"I'm going to send every last Dementor to the Shadow Realm." Yami snarled, at which point Joey grabbed him. "Get off of me." Yami snapped, Joey shook his head.

"While I like that idea, you didn't see the repercussions last time you pulled that stunt." Joey replied, "I did. You nearly collapsed, Ombre and the hikaris were ill for days and…"

"A lot of us Duel Monsters nearly faded away, Pharaoh." Mana stated, "The Dementors feed off the shadows, they don't get imprisoned in the Shadow Realm, merely trapped. They continue to feed off of those connected to the Shadows, weakening us."

Yami stopped trying to push Joey off, and looked at Mana, guilt in his eyes. "I…"

"You didn't know and you weren't exactly yourself, my Pharaoh." Mahado spoke, choosing his words carefully, "Mana and myself did our best to isolate the Dementors who are trapped there, from the rest of those connected to the Shadows but…"

Joey warily let go of Yami, as he looked thoughtful, though still angry, "I'm going to get Madam Pomfrey." Joey said, watching Yami carefully, "Are you going to stay with Yugi?" Yami nodded, and Joey left the room. Yami sat down on the bed, holding Yugi's hand, it was cold. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, then looked up at the Dark Magician.

"Mahado, I…" Yami shook his head, "I should have thought before I…" Yami couldn't complete his sentence, and they waited in awkward silence.

"My Pharaoh…" Mahado was cut off as Joey and Madam Pomfrey rushed back in.

"Mr Wheeler said he had a run in with the Dementors?" Mahado nodded, Madam Pomfrey shooed Yami off the bed and checked Yugi over, a frown on her face. "He'll be fine, you got him away in time. Just give him time to recover. Is there anyone else I should check over?" She asked, a mixture of concern and annoyance in her voice, Mahado nearly shook his head but a shadow passed over the doorway.

"Bakura Malfoy was attacked by the Dementors, I doubt he'll come in for a check up but…" Mahado looked up as Dark Necrofear hovered in his doorway. "Ma'am, if you would look at Bakura after Yugi, I at least would be greatful."

Yami's look turned to one of thunder and lightening, Madam Pomfrey nodded and the Fiend retreated to his room. Madam Pomfrey passed Yami a bar of chocolate, "Make sure he eats this when he comes round." She said as she left the room.

Yami slammed the bar down on the tableside table, "BAKURA!" He roared, then looked at Yugi and stormed out into the Monster's Common Room, Mahado looked at Mana, then followed him out, shutting the door behind him, "He was out there with Bakura?" They could hear Yami demanding at full volume, "What the hell was he doing in the Forbidden Forest with Bakura?"

* * *

" _Boh?"_ The Kuriboh nearly jumped, as Yugi spoke to him over their link. _"Don't react. That's Yami shouting isn't it?"_

 _Yes, he's shouting at Mahado._ Boh said, looking over the boy, who was led still, if Boh didn't know better, he'd've said Yugi was still unconscious. _He found out about Bakura._

" _Uh oh."_

_How are you feeling?_

"YUGI!" Yami bellowed.

" _How did he know?"_ Yugi opened his eyes, and looked around the room, his head spinning, for a few moments, as he sat up.

"YUGI!" Yugi got off of the bed, and stood up, wavering slightly.

"Yuge?" Joey asked, concerned.

"Yami's bellowing…" Yugi nearly fell over and Joey caught him before he hit the ground.

"Yugi..." Joey looked at him, and shook his head, sighing, "At least take the chocolate." Yugi grabbed the chocolate off the side, and took a bite, before attempting to take his weight off of Joey. "No," Joey said, "I'll give you a hand, he shouldn't expect you to go out there. He was told to give you time to rest."

"By who?"

"Madam Pomfrey." Yugi grimaced, Joey saw it and took it as sign he was still suffering from the effects of the Dementors, "That's it, if he wants to yell, he can yell in here."

"Joey…"

"No. Yuge." Joey said, making him sit back down, he opened the door and it closed swiftly behind him, Yugi could hear Yami and Joey yelling at each other, then the door slammed open and Yami stood, glaring at him.

"Why?" It was a simple question, but there was so much anger in it that Yugi flinched and looked away.

"I just wanted some time to think, and there was too much atmosphere to think straight in the Common Room."

"So you went into the Forbidden Forest? And with Bakura of all people!"

"I didn't start off there! I was sat in one of the trees by the lake!" The volume of Yugi's voice was rising, as he turned back to Yami, glaring, "I saw someone with white hair go into the forest! It could've been Ryou for all I knew!"

"So why go in alone?" Yami demanded, "Why didn't you call for back up?"

Yugi just stared at him, "You don't trust that I can handle things on my own." It was a statement rather then a question, one that Yami flinched away from. Yugi pushed himself to his feet and spat out the words, "You're still treating me like I'm fourteen years old!"

"Then stop acting like it and think before you act!" Yami snarled back, his glare matching Yugi's.

"I'm not a child anymore!" Yugi snapped, "What was I supposed to do? Stand around and wait for everyone to arrive?"

"You should've waited for me."

"By then it would've been too late!" Yugi snarled, "It doesn't matter if it was Bakura out there or Ryou, no one deserves to have their soul eaten!"

"Bakura doesn't care! How many times has he tried to send us to the Shadow Realm? He didn't care when he caused Kari's miscarriage!"

"You're wrong there." Yugi's cold voice pierced Yami's hot rage, "He didn't take the Orb when he could've, he, if you stop to think before you open your mouth, was the one who was most disgusted at his actions."

Yami's temper flared, and fear flashed in Yugi's eyes as unrestrained Shadow Magic, released by Yami's anger, lashed towards him. Yami's eyes widened, but he couldn't call it back. Yugi hit the wall, and slid down it with a groan, the look in his eyes, when he finally opened them, was one of sorrow and bewilderment.

Yami froze, Yugi wasn't aware it hadn't been deliberate…

Someone behind Yami grabbed his arm, and dragged him out of the room, Mahado, Joey, Mana, everyone… they were all glaring at him…

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Joey demanded.

"I think you should leave…" Mahado said, anger in his eyes, if not in his voice.

"Anyone who attacks their friends are not welcome here." Someone snarled; Yami wasn't sure who.

"I didn't mean too… I just lost my temper…" Yami started to say.

"Get out!" Kisara screamed at him, preparing to attack.

Mahado, refused to look at him, and turned away.

Yami left.

What had he been thinking?

What had he done?

He ran, trying to get away from his guilt and his anger, and the memory of Yugi looking completely shocked by his actions.

* * *

February arrived, with no change in the cold.

Neither in the weather…

Or Yugi's attitude towards Yami.

Professor McGonagall still hadn't given Harry back his broomstick, and his Anti-Dementor classes weren't going too well.

He was just finishing a session with Lupin, when the Professor had asked him an interesting question, did Black deserve to have his soul eaten by the Dementors?

Harry had initially thought yes, but remembering what Yugi and the others had said about souls being sent to, or trapped in the Shadow Realm, he'd wondered, did anyone really deserve that fate?

Yugi obviously didn't think so, or he wouldn't have gone into the Forest to help Bakura, even though they were enemies.

Harry bumped into Professor McGonagall as he headed back up to the Gryffindor Common Room, "I've just been looking for you in the Gryffindor Common Room," She said, "Well, here it is, we've done everything we could think off, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it at all… you've got a very good friend out there somewhere, Potter." Harry's jaw dropped, she was holding out his Firebolt, and it looked as magnificent as ever.

"I can have it back?" Harry asked, "Seriously?"

"Seriously." Professor McGonagall proceeded to recommend that Harry got to practise on it before Saturday's game, and allowed him to rush up to the Common Room, letting Neville in as he passed, the boy had lost the sheet with all the passwords written down, and he showed off the Firebolt to the entire Gryffindor Quidditch Team, minus Yugi, who'd been sleeping in the Monster's Wing every night since the fight.

Having taken it upstairs, Harry came back down and decided to start being nicer to Hermione, who was working on homework with Kari, which was disrupted by a strangled yell that echoed down the boy's staircase. The whole Common Room fell silent, staring petrified at the entrance. Then Ron came into view, dragging with him a bedsheet.

"LOOK!" He bellowed, striding over to Hermione and Kari's table, "LOOK!" He yelled, waving the bed sheet under their noses.

"What are we supposed to be looking at?" Kari asked calmly.

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"

Hermione and Kari looked completely bewildered, Harry looked on the sheet, there was something red on it, something that looked horribly like…

"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence, "HE'S GONE! AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N-no." Hermione said, her voice trembling. Kari had a horrible feeling she knew.

Ron threw down something onto Hermione's homework. They, and Harry looked at it. Lying on top of the homework, were three long, ginger cat hairs, four short, smoky coloured cat hairs, and two long black cat hairs…


	11. No Island Stands Alone

It was a Saturday afternoon, in January, and Draco was walking around the castle, trying to work out some way of escaping Bakura's clutches. He'd come up with zilch. He'd even looked in the library for some sort of anti-spell to no avail, however he had found out that Bakura couldn't betray him either, the spell worked both ways, this was information that Draco had stored away for another day, when such a loophole would be useful to stop Bakura in his tracks, but only if Draco could work out how to use it to the best effect.

Unfortunately for him, the book he needed, that told him about the preparation potion and the full effects of the spell, was locked away in the Forbidden Section, and he was unable to find Professor Snape to get permission to borrow it. What he had found was records of people using the spell, and from those accounts he had worked out a few of the effects, but for any really useful information he would need to enter the Forbidden Section.

This fight this morning, which had started when Bakura had successfully annoyed the Weasley Twins, had given him an opportunity to slip off for the first time since the spell binding them together. Just because he couldn't betray Bakura by going to Muto and his gang, didn't mean he didn't have some free will of his own left, and he had no intention of remaining in Bakura's power.

Draco sighed, then saw Yami Muto, the Pharaoh, rush past, a look of horror and self disgust on his face, so intense, that Draco wondered what the hell he'd done. Disregarding his better judgement Draco followed him to one of the boy's bathrooms, where he cast a spell Bakura had taught him, making it much harder to notice him, and slipped in after him, hiding in one of the toilets so Muto wouldn't see him when it wore off. Bakura had his uses… Draco listened carefully as the normally cocky and overconfident male bereted himself.

"How could I?" Yami started, a dull thud echoing round the room, one that Draco recognised as the sound of someone bashing their head against a door, possibly one of the toilet stall doors, "It got away from me…" Thud, "I should never have…" Thud, "Fighting or not," Thud, "I shouldn't have let it get away from me…" Thud, "I should've had better control on my Shadow Magic…" Thud, "I felt it slip out of my grip…" Thud, "I should never have even thought about controlling Yugi."

Draco had to smother a gasp, the entire school knew the two were fighting, but he'd never thought the Pharaoh would stoop to Bakura's level. Maybe the yamis were all the same…

_Wouldn't Bakura love to have that little tidbit of information. I wonder what I could get out of him…_

Draco wondered how much of that thought was his and how much of it was the spell at work.

Yami was berating himself again.

"I should never…" Thud, "Ever," Thud, Draco heard the sound of fabric sliding down something, taking a peek, he saw the normally completely self assured man had sunk to the floor, his head in his hands, Yami looked around, and Draco withdrew into the toilet again. "He'll never trust me again." Yami's voice sounded broken, "And it's all my fault."

' _Come to the Common Room now.'_ Draco nearly growled, as Bakura's mental voice rang in his head, Draco sent a wave of frustration back; he didn't want to lose the chance that this information could provide.

Draco sensed Bakura's anger, _'Now, Draco.'_

" _I'm listening in on the Pharaoh, I'll report back later."_

Draco felt Bakura's interest war with anger at being thwarted… slowly one overpowered the other. _'Fine, but I want a full report of everything you've done today.'_

" _Maybe, lets see how valuable my spywork is first."_ Draco thought back, his attention turning quickly back to the Pharaoh.

' _I could drag you out, and then the Pharaoh would notice you, I bet.'_

" _Yep, you could, except that would put me in danger, in effect betraying me, do you really want to lose my co-operation?"_ Draco felt his awareness of Bakura fading, he smiled slightly, he had won that round, only time would tell if he'd win the war.

Draco continued to watch the Pharaoh for another twenty minutes, but nothing else was said, Yami spent it staring listlessly at the floor. Draco pulled out his wand, and muttered the can't-see-me spell as quietly as he could manage, and slipped out of the men's room, walking down to the Slytherin Common Room.

Bakura was waiting for him.

"Well?" He demanded. Draco took a sip of the pumpkin juice someone had stolen from the kitchens, and only then turned to Bakura, sensing Bakura's growing anger.

"Yami and Yugi fought earlier."

"I'm aware of this, I was in Dark Necrofear's room." Draco went paler then normal at the look on Bakura's face.

"Were you aware that the Pharaoh used Shadow Magic on his hikari?" Draco asked, Bakura's eyes widened, the only indication of surprise, "I overheard him, he attempted to control his hikari."

"The Pharaoh attempted to control the runt?" Bakura's eyes were shining with mischief as Draco nodded, "You're certain of this?" Draco nodded, Bakura smirked evilly, any other questions lost in planning that sprung up from this new concept.

"Did anyone else hear this?"

Draco shook his head, "No, the Pharaoh believed he was alone."

"Good, when I saw the Pharaoh's other half, on my way out, he was looking worse for wear, but there was no lingering Shadow Magic other then that of the Monsters, his highness must've tried and failed."

Draco recognised the look on Bakura's face, it didn't bode well.

* * *

_**BACK TO FEBUARAY** _

It looked the end of their group of friends, everyone was so angry at everyone else that Harry couldn't see how they'd ever make it up. Ron refused to speak to Hermione, Kari and had been angry at Yami beforehand, and refused to even look at him. Hermione, Kari and Ombre had started taking refuge in the Library, Joey, who was taking whichever side Yami wasn't, joined forces with Ron, Yugi was staying well away from them and Harry was stuck firmly in the middle of a four way fight.

Of course Bakura was finding it hilarious.

Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnegan and Dean Tomas sat with him at meal times, and Harry was beginning to wonder why he'd over looked them before, sure Neville was a cluts when it came to wand work, but he was a nice person, and the three of them spent quite a few mealtimes discussing Quidditch or lessons or… anything other then the fighting going on between the people in Harry's other group of friends.

In Hufflepuff/Gryffindor lessons, Ryou Bakura and his Hufflepuff friends had taken to sitting next to him, talking with him, cheering him up after a bad morning. Harry wondered if Ryou had been avoiding them simply because of past differences...

Bakura had been keeping a close eye on their group ever since Yugi and Yami's fight, but Harry wondered how he seemed to be everywhere at once…

* * *

It was Friday dinner time and Yami was sat alone again.

He ate his dinner in silence, but mostly poked at it until he had a misshapen pile of pinkish goo.

He could hear the others talking and laughing… he ignored them as much as he could.

He didn't notice when he added sugar to his potatoes, or salt to his tea.

When he had had his fill of the tense silence surrounding him, he got up and left, long before anyone else had had their fill.

He numb inside. First there had been fear, then anger, then despair, but now he just felt numb.

He didn't notice the tall figure standing in his way, barely noticed who it was when he walked into them. Just an impression of blue and silver… Ravenclaw then. Why would a Ravenclaw get in his way?

"You are being an idiot." The tall Ravenclaw told him.

Yami stared down at the ground, someone else was about to lecture him on what being a friend meant. It made him feel sick. Why did they care? They didn't know what had happened, no one had asked, they had just assumed the worst.

"Yami, look at me." The Ravenclaw told him.

Yami looked up. Kaiba. Why… No, it didn't matter. The brief flare of anger was short; the shadows deepened, don't care. DON'T care. DON'T CARE. He wrapped the saftey of the numbness around him again.

"Come with me." Kaiba said, walking away, when Yami didn't follow right away, he came back and herded Yami along several corridors, and then up a flight of stairs. Kaiba said something to a painting, and a doorway was revealed. Yami continued to study the floor.

Lots of blues and silvers, but the decorating was lost on Yami.

Kaiba led him up the stairs to the dorm, into a bedroom, then into a side room that looked like a study room/sitting room.

Kaiba pushed him into a chair, then picked another chair to sit himself in. "Now tell me what happened."

"Why?"

Kaiba snorted, "The Yami I know wouldn't have attacked Yugi. The Yami I know wouldn't have gone around in a daze. The Yami I know wouldn't avoid his friends, just because he made a mistake."

"Then you don't know me very well, Kaiba."

"Everyone knows Yugi's side of the story, everyone knows Joey's side of the story. No one knows your side of the story. So why?"

"I don't really know. I was angry, so very angry. Yugi shouldn't have left the castle on his own. He got into trouble, he always gets into trouble. And he followed Bakura into the Forbidden Forest, he put himself in danger, again! Then I don't know… I think I must've blacked out for a while because next thing I knew Shadow Magic was heading at Yugi and I had no way of stopping it. I tried, but I wasn't fast enough. Then I left… or got chucked out."

"Then why didn't you just apologise to Yugi? Explain what had happened?"

"Because this isn't the first time I have lost control of the Shadow Magic, and every time I do, I put my friends in danger. I'm too dangerous to let myself have friends."

"Muto, you can't continue like this. The weaker you get the more the shadows will get control. Your friends always made you strong before. I can't believe you'll cut yourself off from their help now, when you need them the most."

Yami laughed, "Kaiba, I don't believe you ever admitted that before. Thank you, but no. Goodbye." Yami got up to leave.

"You know I won't tell, but I will stop you if you start to get too dangerous."

Yami considered the offer, "Thank you Kaiba, I didn't want to ask Yugi." Yami left.

* * *

Harry shook his head, trying to clear any thoughts as he walked down with the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, to the pitch for the last training session before the match against Ravenclaw, but it was hard when Yami and Yugi, who'd normally walk down together, were as far apart as they could get and Ron, who he'd invited so he could have his promised go on the Firebolt, was pointedly ignoring the Pharaoh. At least Ron and Yugi weren't fighting, but there was still more tension than Harry wanted to fly in. Yami didn't really seem to be paying attention; he kept staring at the ground like he hoped it would suddenly open up and devour him.

Madam Hooch ogled the Firebolt, praising it and comparing it to her old brooms, and as she did so Wood turned to Yami and Yugi. "I don't care what's happened between you two," He growled, "But we cannot afford to have any mistakes, we have to win against Ravenclaw on Saturday and we need the team working as a team, not against each other. So pull your acts together."

"But we're not even playing." Yugi protested.

"You are still affecting the Team spirit; now either get your act together or get out of here." Wood growled. Yami nodded and left, not even bothering to argue. Harry watched him go with wide eyes, what had Oliver said to him?

"Madam Hooch." Wood said, walking over, "Can Harry have his broom back now please, we need to practise." Madam Hooch nodded and passed Harry his broom, before joining Ron in the stands.

Yugi looked over as he took off, Boh was watching from the stands, Mahado had been there only seconds ago, was he tailing Yami? That's what it seemed like, since everywhere Yami went, the Duel Monsters would watch him. Boh would tell him if he asked, but did he really want the answer.

"Muto." Wood bellowed, Yugi shook his head, sighed and tried to get his head in the game but despite Yugi's efforts he couldn't quite feel the joy of Quidditch that the others did today. There was no way Wood would let him play in the next game.

The rest of the Team, despite the tension from earlier, gave their best performance ever, inspired by the Firebolt in their midst. Wood only had one criticism, one that he would discuss with the person in private, but with the Team he'd picked for the match he could see no flaws.

They landed and Wood turned to the Team, "I can't see what's going to stop us," He said, "Unless… Harry, you've sorted out your Dementor problem, haven't you?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded, wishing his Patronus was stronger.

"The Dementors won't show up again, Dumbledore'd do his nut." Fred said confidently.

"Let's hope not." Replied Wood, "All right, good work everyone, Muto, I need to speak to you, but the rest of you return to the tower… turn in early."

Harry wanted to talk to Yugi, but Wood's glare sent him packing to the other end of the pitch, where Ron raced onto the pitch and took his go on the Firebolt. Madam Hooch had fallen asleep, and night fell before she awoke and she, Harry and Ron returned to the castle, Yugi and Oliver had returned before them, but Harry had missed them leaving.

Ron and Harry were halfway back to the castle when Harry froze, a pair of eyes gleamed at him out of the darkness. "What's wrong?" Harry pointed, Ron pulled out his wand and muttered, "Lumos." The eyes were revealed to have belonged to Crookshanks, who vanished quickly.

"See, she's still letting him wander around where ever he wants, and I bet the others aren't doing anything about their cats either."

Harry didn't say anything, he had been sure for a moment that those eyes belonged to the Grim. They set off for the castle again, and Harry felt slightly ashamed of his moment of panic, and didn't mention it to Ron, nor did he look left or right until they had reached the well lit Entrance Hall.

* * *

Harry went down to breakfast with Joey, Ron, Seamus, Neville and Dean, all of whom seemed to think he and the Firebolt deserved some sort of guard of honour. As they entered the Great Hall heads turned in their direction, and there was a great deal of excited muttering. Harry saw that the entire Slytherin team were looking thunderstruck. Even Bakura.

"Did you see the look on their faces?" Ron asked gleefully, looking back at the Malfoys, "They can't believe it! This is brilliant!"

Wood was basking in the reflected glory of the Firebolt.

"Put it here, Harry." He said, laying it on the table with it's name faced upwards. Harry was complimented on it all breakfast, except for a minor run in with Bakura which was easily diffused, it seemed that the Slytherin Tomb Robber had other things on his mind.

Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor Team went down to the changing rooms, where Harry stuck his wand inside his t-shirt. There was no sign of Yami again, and Yugi was getting changed but Harry couldn't see his broomstick.

"You know what we've got to do," Wood said, as they prepared to leave the changing rooms, "If we lose this match, we're out of the running. Just… Just fly like you did in practise yesterday, and we'll be ok."

They walked out onto the pitch to tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, all dressed in blue, were already standing in the middle of the pitch. Their Seeker, Cho Chang, was the only girl in the team. She was shorter then Harry by a head, and Harry couldn't help noticing, nervous as he was, that she was extremely pretty. She smiled at Harry as the teams faced each other behind their captains, and he felt a slight jolt in the region of his stomach that he didn't think had anything to do with nerves.

"Wood, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch said briskly, and the Captains shook hands, "Mount your brooms… on my whistle…" Harry looked over to the stands, the entire gang were there, just standing in little groups instead of one big one, all bar Yami. "Three… two… one…"

Harry kicked off into the air and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other broom; he soared around the stadium, listening all the while to the Commentary, which was being provided by the Weasley twins friend, Lee Jordan…

* * *

Yami was sat on his own, in the library.

He didn't want to put Harry and the others off their game and he certainly didn't want to wait in the Changing Rooms with Yugi to await the outcome of the match, he was too afraid they'd end up in another argument and he was afraid his Shadow Magic would escape his grip again.

He looked out the window, he could see people flying around above the Quidditch Stadium; the match had begun.

Yami left the library; he had to find something else to do, something to keep his mind off of that fight.

"You know Pharaoh, I'm impressed." Yami snarled and wheeled around, his glare resting on Bakura.

"Don't you have someone else to annoy?" Yami snapped.

"I wasn't planning on annoying you," Bakura said, just his smirk was enough though to drive Yami up the wall, "I just thought I'd compliment you, finally fed up of that hikari of yours?"

"What do you mean?" Yami snarled.

"I was in Dark Necrofear's room when you two fought, I sensed your Shadow Magic assault on him, I recognised what you wanted to do, you attempted to control him." Yami's eyes widened, then settled back into a glare.

"I didn't deliberately attack him!"

"Yeah, right, that excuse isn't fooling anyone, your highness." Bakura sneered, "But I must admit, I never thought that you'd attack your hikari, though the runt had it coming."

"He didn't! And I didn't deliberately attack Yugi!" Yami's snarl increased in volume.

"Just yelling it louder doesn't make it any less true, Pharaoh." Bakura smirked and turned away, the shadows rose around them. Bakura turned back to face the angry Pharaoh, a smirk widely plastered on his face.

"This won't change anything." He said, still smirking. "But if you are so certain it will…"

* * *

"Gryffindor lead by eighty points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through it's paces now. See it turn, Chang's Comet is just no match for it. The Firebolt's precision-balance is really noticeable in these long…"

"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"

Ravenclaw were pulling back, scoring three goals, putting Gryffindor only fifty points ahead. If Cho got the Snitch before him, Ravenclaw would win. Harry dropped lower, narrowly avoiding a mid air collision, scanning the pitch frantically. A glint of gold, a flutter of tiny wings, the Snitch was circling the Gryffindor goalposts.

Harry accelerated, eyes fixed on the speck of gold ahead, but next second Cho came out of nowhere, blocking him…

"Harry!" Wood roared, as Harry swerved to avoid a collision. "This is no time to be a gentleman! Knock her off her broom if you have to!"

Harry turned and caught sight of Cho; she was grinning. The Snitch had vanished again. Harry turned his Firebolt upwards and was soon twenty feet above the game. Out of the corner of his eye he was Cho following him… she'd decided to mark him rather then search for the Snitch herself.

Right then… if she wanted to tail him, she'd have to take the consequences…

He dived again, and Cho, thinking he'd seen the Snitch, tried to follow. Harry pulled out of the dive very sharply, she hurtled downwards; he rose fast as a bullet, then saw it for the third time; the Snitch was glittering way above the pitch at the Ravenclaw end.

He accelerated, so, many feet below, did Cho. He was winning, gaining on the Snitch with every second… then…

"OH!" Screamed Cho, pointing.

Distracted, Harry looked down.

Three Dementors, three tall black, hooded Dementors, were looking up at him.

He didn't stop to think. Plunging a hand down the neck of his robes, he whipped out his wand and roared "Expectro Patronum!"

Something silver white and enormous erupted from the end of his wand, but he didn't pause to watch; his mind still miraculously clear, he looked ahead, he was nearly there. He stretched out his hand, still grasping his wand, and just managed to close his fingers over the small, struggling, Snitch.

Madam Hooch's whistle sounded, Harry turned around in mid air and saw six scarlet blurs bearing down on him, the team hugged him so hard he nearly fell off his broom. In complete disarray the team landed and Harry looked around, Yugi sprinted onto the pitch and his arrival was quickly followed by Ron and a whole gaggle of Gryffindor Supporters, who quickly surrounded the Team, "Yes!" Ron and Yugi were cheering, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"That was quite a Patronus." Said a voice in Harry's ear.

Harry looked around and saw Professor Lupin, who looked both shaken and pleased. "The Dementors didn't effect me at all!" Said Harry excitedly, "I didn't feel a thing!"

"That would be because they… err… weren't Dementors," Said Professor Lupin, "Come and see."

He led Harry out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the pitch.

"You gave them quite a fright."

Harry stared, Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, were Crabbe, Goyle and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Team Captain, all struggling to remove themselves from the long black hooded robes. Standing over them, with an expression of utmost fury on her face, was Professor McGonagall.

"An unworthy trick!" She was shouting, "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty point from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!"

If anything could've set the seal on Gryffindor's victory, it was this, Ron and Yugi, who'd fought their way through the crowd to Harry's side, doubled up with laughter as they watched the three try to get out of the robes, and the tangled pile they'd landed in.

"Come on Harry!" George called, fighting his way over, "Party! Gryffindor Common Room, now!"

"Right," Said Harry, and feeling happier then he had in a long time, he and the rest of the team led their way, still in their scarlet robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle.

* * *

It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup; the party went on all day and well into the night. Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of Butterbeer, pumpkin fizz and several bags of Honeydukes sweets.

"How did you do that?" Squealed Angelina, as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.

"With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs." Fred muttered in Harry's ear.

Only two people weren't joining in the festivities. Yami had arrived back in the Common Room after they had, looking worse for wear, and headed straight up to the dorms, Harry doubted he was sleeping, but didn't want to disturb him. Hermione, however, was sat in a corner on her own, attempting to read an enormous book entitled **_Home life and Social Habits of British Muggles_**. Harry broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling Butterbeer bottles, and went over to her.

"Did you even come to the match?" He asked her.

"Of course I did, I was stood with Kari and Ombre," Said Hermione in a strangely high pitched voice, not looking up, "And I'm very glad we won, and I think you did really well, but I need to read this by Monday."

"Come on Hermione, come and have some food." Harry said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.

"I can't Harry, I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" Said Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway…" She glanced over at Ron too, "He doesn't want me to join in."

There was no arguing with this as Ron chose that exact moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't just be eaten, he could've had some of these Fudge Flies, he used to really like them."

Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say or do anything, she had tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, run towards the staircase to the girl's dormitories and out of sight.

"Can't you give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly, Kari and Ombre hadn't seen Hermione's reaction to Ron's comment but were glowering in his direction.

"No," Ron replied flatly, "If she just acted like she was sorry… but she'll never admit that she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers is on holiday or something."

The Gryffindor Party only ended when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing gown and hair-net at one in the morning, to insist they went to bed. Yugi and Boh crashed out on the sofa closest to the fire, while everyone else retreated to their dorms, Harry noticed that Yami did appear to be asleep, all bar one of the curtains round his bed were drawn across, so Harry could see.

They climbed into their beds, and fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

Harry had a very strange dream. He was walking through a forest, his Firebolt over his shoulder, following something silvery white. Harry sped up to try to catch up, but so did the something. As he broke into a run, he could hear hooves gathering speed. Now he was running full out he could hear galloping. Then he turned a corner and…

"! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Harry woke suddenly, as though he'd been hit in the face. Disorientated in the total darkness, he fumbled with his hangings. He could hear movements around him, and Joey's voice from the other side of the room.

"What's going on?"

Harry thought he heard the Dormitory room slam. At last, finding the divide in his curtains, he ripped them back, and at the same moment, Joey lit his lamp.

Ron was sat up in bed, the hangings torn from one side, a look of the utmost horror on his face. "Black, Sirius Black! With a knife!"

"What?"

"Here! Just now! Slashed the curtains! Woke me up!" Joey looked pale and rushed downstairs.

"You're sure it wasn't a dream?"

"Look at the curtains! I tell you he was here!"

The rest of them scrambled out of bed; Yami reached the door first, and they sprinted back down the staircase. Doors opened behind them, and sleepy voices called after them. "Who shouted?"

"What're you doing?"

The Common Room was lit by the glow of the dying fire, still littered with debris from the party. Joey was talking to Yugi who looked ashy white. Yami wanted to go over and talk to him, but hung back as Harry and Ron rushed over.

"Yugi, you alright?"

"Man with knife." Yugi stated, shaking, "Boh woke me up. I think it was Black."

"See I wasn't dreaming!"

"Excellent," Fred Weasley said brightly as he and a few other boys and girls reappeared, "Are we carrying on."

"Everyone back upstairs!" Said Percy, pinning his head boy badge onto his pyjamas as he spoke.

"Perce, Sirius Black!" Said Ron faintly, "In out dorm! With a knife! Woke me up."

The Common Room went very still.

"Nonsense!" Said Percy looking startled, "You had too much to…"

"He wasn't dreaming." Yugi cut him off.

"I'm telling you…"

"Now really enough's enough!" Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the Common Room and stared furiously around.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorise this, Professor!" said Percy indignantly, "I was just telling them to go back to bed. My brother Ron, had a nightmare."

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled, "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Professor McGonagall stared at him. Don't be ridiculous Weasley, how could he have possibly got through the portrait hole?"

"He was here, Professor, I saw him." Yugi said. Professor McGonagall stared at him.

"Ask him." Ron said, pointing at the back of the portrait, "Ask him if he saw…"

Glaring suspiciously at Ron and Yugi, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole Common Room listened with baited breath.

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady." Sir Cadogan replied.

There was a stunned silence, both inside the Common Room and out.

"You… you did?" Said Professor McGonagall, "But… but the password…"

"He had them!" Said Sir Cadogan proudly, "Had the whole weeks's, my lady! Read'em off a little bit of paper!"

Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was as white as chalk.

"Which person," She said, her voice shaking, "Which abysmally foolish person, wrote down the weeks passwords and left them lying around?"

There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from hand to fluffy slippered toes, raised his hand slowly in the air.


	12. How to Anger a Yami

No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night. They knew the castle was being searched again, and the whole house stayed awake in the Common Room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped.

Everywhere they went the next day they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the doors to recognise a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything, from tiny cracks in the wall, to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been sacked, and his portrait returned to the lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been extremely nervous and had agreed to return to her post on condition that she was given extra protection. Professor Dumbledore had gone to Kisara's hatchlings, who had agreed immediately to guard the portrait, and two or more of them (one senior and one junior) were always to be found in the corridor, talking and watching people carefully.

Harry couldn't help noticing that the statue of the one-eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed like Fred and George had been right in thinking that they, (and what had been the gang), were the only ones who knew about the secret passageway behind it.

"Do you reckon we should tell someone?" Harry asked Ron.

"We know he's not coming in through Honeydukes," Said Ron dismissively, "We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into."

Harry was glad Ron took this view. If the one-eyed witch was boarded up too, he would never be able to go to Hogsmead again.

Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him, then to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though shaken by the nights events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked, what had happened, with a wealth of detail.

"…I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draught… I woke up and one of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down… I rolled over… and I saw him standing over me… like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair… holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches… and he looked at me and I looked at him, and then I yelled and he scarpered…"

"Why though?" Ron added to Harry, as the group of second-years, who had been listening to his chilling tale departed. "Why did he scarper?"

Harry had been wondering the same thing. Why had Black, having got the wrong bed, not silenced Ron and proceeded to Harry? Black had proved twelve years ago that he didn't mind killing innocent people, and this time he had been facing seven almost unarmed boys, six of whom were asleep. And Black had just pushed Yugi out of the way when Yugi had tried to remain between Black and the portrait hole, why hadn't he dealt with him either? "He must've known that he'd have a job of getting back out of the castle once you'd yelled and woken people up," Said Harry thoughtfully, "He'd've had to have killed the entire house to get back through the portrait hole… then he would've met the teachers…"

Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him that she had banned him from all future Hogsmead trips, given him detention and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the Tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the Common Room every night for someone to let him in, while the young dragons pretended he wasn't there. None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grand-mother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break in, she sent him the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast… a Howler.

The school owls swooped into the Great Hall, carrying the post as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet letter clutched in his beak. Harry, Ron, Yugi and Joey, who were sat opposite him, recognised the letter as a Howler at once… Ron had gotten one from his mother the year before.

"Run, for it Neville." Ron advised.

Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the Hall, while the Slytherin table exploded into laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the Entrance Hall… Neville's Grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family.

Harry was too busy feeling sorry for Neville to notice he had a letter too. Hedwig got his attention by nipping him sharply on the wrist.

"Ouch… oh thanks Hedwig…"

Harry torn open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. The note inside said;

**Dear Harry, Ron, Joey and Yugi,**

**How about having tea with me this evening around six? I'll come and collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN.**

**Cheers,**

**Hagrid.**

"He probably wants to hear all about Black." Said Ron.

So at six o'clock that evening, the four of them left the Gryffindor Tower, passed the dragons at a run, and headed down to the Entrance Hall, where Hagrid was already waiting for them.

"All right, Hagrid!" Said Ron, "S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?"

"I've already heard abou' it." Said Hagrid, opening the front doors and leading them outside.

"Oh." Said Ron, looking slightly put out.

The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was a huge pile of books on Beast Care. "What're they for, Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"Bakura's second level test." Said Hagrid, "This Friday." Hagrid poured them tea and offered them cakes, but having had experience with Hagrid's cooking before, they declined.

"I got something to discuss with you four." Said Hagrid, sitting down opposite them and looking uncharacteristically serious.

"What?" Harry asked.

"You are making the girls very unhappy. I don't understand what's gotten into you boys lately."

"Hermione and Kari's cats ate Scabber!" Ron interjected angrily.

"Because their cats acted like all cats do," Hagrid continued doggedly, "Hermione's cried a fair few times, yeh know, Kari and Ombre help as much as they can, but she's bitten off more'n she can chew, if yer ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do."

"Really upset, they were, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron, and they were terrified of what Black could've done to yer, Yugi, on his way out. They've got their hearts in the right place, the girls have, an' you four not talking to 'em…"

"If they'd just get rid of those cats, I'd speak to them again!" Ron said angrily, "But they're still sticking up for them! They're maniacs, and they won't hear a word against them!"

"Well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets." Hagrid said wisely.

"But that's no excuse…"

"And then there's the way you've been freezing out Yami." Hagrid continued, and held up a hand to stop any interruptions, "Now I know he's made a few mistakes, but he didn't mean to hurt yer, Yugi. He's near enough killing 'imself with guilt."

"Yami said that?" Yugi asked.

"Not to me, but I got Seto teh get his side of the story out ter him. And he won' apologise 'cause he thinks he can't control his magic anymore, an' will harm you again."

"Yami talked to Kaiba before he talked to us?" Joey asked, shocked.

"Yami didn' know who he were talking the half the time, ter hear Seto tell it."

Their talk then turned to more mundane topics, such as Quidditch.

"I didn't think Yami was having that much trouble with the Shadow Magic, I thought when the headaches went away, so did the other problems…" Yugi started.

"But we know Yami, he doesn't like to talk when he's having trouble. I mean we have to drag a bad grade out of him, and that takes hours." Joey said, with a sigh.

"Yeah, and he didn't tell anyone about those headaches until he collapsed."

"We haven't really been good friends have we?" Ron asked. No one answered, and the question hung in the air. Though they talked about Quidditch and Gryffindor's improved chances, the question still hung over them, until at nine o'clock; Hagrid took them back to the castle.

A large group of people were bunched around the notice board, when they returned to the Common Room, "Hogsmead trip, next weekend." Ron said, craning his head over the people to read the notice, "What do you reckon?" He asked Harry quietly as they went to sit down. Yugi wasn't paying much attention, and instead was scanning the crowds for any sign of his dark half.

"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage to Honeydukes…" Said Harry even more quietly.

"Harry!" Said a voice in his right ear. Harry started around and saw Hermione, who was sitting right behind them and clearing a space in the wall of books that had been hiding her. "Harry if you go to Hogsmead again, I'll tell Professor McGonagall about the map." Hermione said.

"And if Hermione doesn't then I will." Declared Kari, glaring at the two boys.

"Can you hear someone talking, guys?"

"Ron, how could you even consider letting him go with you?" Kari snapped, "After what Black nearly did to you, could've done to Yugi…"

"Ronald Weasley, are you or are you not Harry's friend?" Ombre demanded, "Because a friend does not put his friends in danger."

"It's my choice." Harry said staring at the girls.

"Yes, Harry, it's your choice. And believe it or not, we want you to make your own decisions, but this is a bad idea. It was bad before and now it's even worse."

"So what, you're going to stop me having any fun?" Harry demanded. Yugi and Joey looked at each other, wondering when they should try to break it up.

"We will tell, if you go on Saturday." Kari said, surprisingly calm, though Joey could see the anger in her eyes at the two younger boys stupidity, even he wasn't sure Harry should come to Hogsmead for the next trip.

"And how will you know?" Harry asked cockily.

"I'm staying here, in this Common Room, and if you aren't here, Harry, then I will tell." Kari said.

"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!" Said Ron furiously, "Haven't you done enough damage this year?"

Hermione was about to say something when Crookshanks leapt up onto her lap and Ron's look silenced her, Joey had a feeling she would've fled if Kari and Ombre hadn't been backing her up.

"No," Ombre replied, "We're trying to make sure Harry stays safe, but obviously you don't care and we're wasting our time." The same fire that was in her hikari's eyes, was in Ombre's.

Bastet wound her way around the legs of Ron's chair and he tried to kick her, causing Kari to punch him, and a full out fight to develop, only ending when Ombre had grabbed Kari and Harry had grabbed Ron. Kari struggled to free herself from her yami's restraining hands, and Ron struggled against Harry's.

"Don't you dare kick my cat, Ron Weasley." Kari snarled, the Millennium Orb glinting against her robes, she froze, feeling something building she knew she couldn't let loose, "I need to get out of here." Ombre, sensing something was wrong, let go immediately and Kari fled to the dorm.

"Girls." Ron uttered in disgust, and stalked out. Harry shot an apologetic towards the girls and followed Ron out.

Five seconds later multiple loud crashes were heard from upstairs. Ombre and Hermione looked at each other and rushed up the stairs. Yugi looked the way they'd ran, his face pale.

"What's wrong?" Joey asked. Yugi just shook his head, indicating not good. "Should we go up there?" Joey asked, knowing the answer Yugi would give.

"They're our friends and they might be hurt. We have to check they're ok, even if it is against the rules Joey."

Joey nodded and they rushed towards the girl's staircase and attempted to go upstairs. There was a loud alarm noise and the stairs suddenly turned into a slide, which left Joey and Yugi deposited at the bottom in a heap, and left most of Gryffindor House in stitches.

"What just happened? Did Kari rig the stairs?" Joey asked.

One of the seventh year girls laughed even harder at that, but her friend shook her head and smiled at the two boys, "Why do I have a feeling we just triggered one of the castle's quirks?" Yugi asked.

"Boys aren't allowed in the Girls Dorms," The seventh year girl replied, "It's an old spell that has been here longer then most of the Professors. Supposedly boys aren't as trust worthy as girls."

The look on Yugi and Joey's faces caused her friend to laugh so hard she had to sit down. Yugi sighed, "Could please check on our friends, they're third years."

"The girls who just rushed up the stairs, right?" Yugi nodded and the seventh year went on up, after the stairs had reset themselves.

Ron and Harry had slipped off, probably headed to their dorm and Joey wondered if Harry was going to go on Saturday.

Five minutes later, the seventh year came back down with a troubled look on her face, "Their dorm's a mess, it looks like a miniature tornado hit it." She looked around, "Any idea who bunks with them? 'Cause they're going to need to clear up their stuff."

Yugi and Joey shook their heads and the seventh year frowned. "You don't know who the other girls in your year are? What have you been doing for the past three years?"

"Ummm…" Joey wasn't sure what to say, but was saved from having to answer by the arrival of two third year Gryffindor girls, Pavarti Patil and Lavender Brown, who quickly ran upstairs after the seventh year spoke to them. The seventh year gave them an odd look before she and her friend moved off.

"So what do we think?" Joey asked Yugi as they moved to a more quiet spot to talk.

"That we should know who's in our year outside our group?" Yugi asked.

"Errr, yes, so they're the girls, who's the other boys?"

"Neville and … ummmm." Yugi stopped, trying to think, "I'm not sure…"

"It can't be this hard! We've been sleeping in the same dorm as them for the past three years!"

"Dean and Seamus?" Yugi said in a small voice.

"And why didn't we know that?"

"Because we haven't really paid attention to them, what with saving the world multiple times."

"But that's no excuse. We can't really be that self absorbed can we?"

"We're getting distracted," Yugi said with a sigh, "The miniature tornado that just hit the third year girl's dorms, was another out of control burst of Shadow Magic."

"Then it's not just Yami, who's losing control."

"No, it's not. The question is; are we all losing control?"

"Yami's losing it, you lost it last year…"

Yugi nodded, "The Game against Draco Malfoy."

"Kari's losing it, Bakura lost it a long time ago…" Yugi laughed. "What about Ryou and Ombre?"

"Ryou doesn't really use Shadow Magic for anything, but Ombre… hmmm… I don't think she has. Not yet anyway." Yugi went silent for a minute, trying to think, "We need to get everyone together, all the Shadow Duellists, we have to work out what's happening."

"How?" Joey asked, "Yami's avoiding us, and can you see Bakura being in the room with the rest of you, for more then two seconds, without causing trouble?"

"I'll work it out."

* * *

On Saturday Morning, Hermione, Ombre and Kari kept a close eye on Harry as they ate their breakfast. He wouldn't meet their gaze and Ombre didn't trust he wasn't going to try to sneak into Hogsmead somehow; she just hadn't worked out how without Kari knowing he was gone.

"We'll see you guys when you get back." Kari said with a smile and she and Harry, walked back up the stairs towards the Common Room. "Cheer up Harry, it could be worse." Kari said as she brought down a couple of bottles of Butterbeer she'd gotten from Fred and George, after the last party, "It could just be you and Neville." Harry still wouldn't look at her. "I get it, you're mad at me, in all honestly, I think I must be taking lessons from Se… Kaiba on being cold hearted, because I don't really care right now, your safety is more important." She opened two bottles and placed them on the table.

Harry felt slightly guilty about what he was about to do, but the twins had suggested it. Neville banged on the portrait to be let in and Kari got up to let him in. Once Kari's back was turned he slipped two drops from a small glass bottle, into her Butterbeer, just enough, but not enough to make her suspicious. She sat back down and looked at him across the table. "Are you going to just avoid looking at me all day?" She asked as she took a swig of her Butterbeer.

"I'm only here under duress." Harry replied.

Kari sighed and chugged her Butterbeer, finishing it quickly, "Fine, I'm going to get my homework, if you wanna stay mad at me fine, but I'm not going to sit here and be thought daggers at, just because you can't stand to look at me long enough to actually glare." She stood up and stretched, then stalked up the stairs. She came back down, staggered over to the sofa, gave Harry a filthy look, then fell onto one of the chairs, dropping all her books, parchments and quills as she did so.

Neville rushed over, "She passed out!" He called over to Harry who was too busy thinking, _There's no possible way she could've known._

"Neville, are you OK to stay with her while I get Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked, Neville nodded and Harry rushed out the door. Professor McGonagall quickly followed him, and after trying to wake Kari up, and failing, decided to take her to the hospital wing. In all the fuss, Harry slipped away as the teacher spoke to Neville, the Marauder's Map, in his pocket and the invisibility cloak in his bag, arriving outside Honeydukes ten minutes later, in time to scare Ron half to death by prodding him in the back.

"It's me." Harry whispered.

"What happened with…?" Ron muttered back.

"She's going to kill me when she wakes up."

They set off down the high street.

"Where are you?" Ron kept muttering, "Are you still there? This feels weird…"

They visited the Post Office, and then Zonko's, where they both left with their moneybags much lighter then when they'd gone in. The day was fine and breezy and neither of them felt like staying inside, so they climbed the slope past the Three Broomsticks, to visit the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted dwelling in Britain. It stood a little way above the rest of the village, and even in the daylight was slightly creepy, with it's boarded windows and dank overgrown garden.

"Even the Hogwarts ghosts avoid it," Said Ron as they leaned on the fence, looking up at it. "I asked Nearly Headless Nick… he says he's heard a very rough crowd live here. No one can get in, Fred and George tried, obviously, but all the entrances are sealed shut."

Harry was just considering taking off his cloak when he heard voices nearby, it sounded like Draco, Bakura, and Ryou? Why was Ryou with them? Moments later the three had appeared, Crabbe and Goyle following at a distance, where they couldn't hear the conversation. Harry grabbed Ron and they hid under the cloak so they couldn't be seen by the five approaching. Harry held his breath as Ryou, Bakura and Draco came closer. They seemed to be quarrelling.

"This isn't funny Bakura, pay attention." Ryou hissed at him as Bakura's attention seemed to wander. For a moment Harry froze. Bakura had been looking straight at them.

"I'm very much aware of the seriousness of this Ryou. I just think you are worrying too much." Bakura shot back, turning his attention back to Ryou.

"What are we meant to do if…" Ryou started.

"If nothing, this isn't happening." Bakura interrupted.

Ryou fiddled with something around his neck for a moment, then seemed to become more decisive. "It is Bakura. Something's happened to the Shadow Realm and I'm starting to think it's the Pharaoh's fault."

"Well I'm all for blaming the idiot, but what are we're going to do about it? He might not be good for much but the fool does normally clean up after himself." Bakura declared, waving away the problem. "That isn't the only reason you wanted to talk to me, was it?"

Ryou wouldn't meet his eyes now, instead studying the surrounding area. "I don't think I can continue this…" His eyes seemed to settle on Harry and Ron, "What…?"

Bakura's eyes turned towards them as well. A flicker of recognition. Harry suppressed the desire to run away, they couldn't see him and Ron, they couldn't… could they?

"It's just a spell; don't tell me that this is the first time you've seen one. They don't normally hold still, but it's probably just a prank, and it doesn't want to move or go away so as long as we don't walk into it, it shouldn't affect us." Bakura explained in a condescending voice.

"So that's how…" Malfoy muttered, but he continued to be ignored by both Bakura and Ryou.

"It could be a listening spell or something, let's talk elsewhere." Ryou declared.

Once the three were out of sight Ron left the safety of the invisibility cloak, "Did they see us?" Ron asked, shocked. Then he looked at Harry, "If they tell anyone… You better run for it mate."

Harry nodded and ran towards Hogsmead, into Honeydukes, down the cellar steps, across the stone floor, through the trap door… At this point Harry tore off the cloak and tucked it under his arm, and ran flat out down the passage. He was certain Ryou and Bakura were to busy arguing to snitch on him, but if he was wrong… He left the cloak at the bottom of the stone slide and climbed quickly, jumping out from behind the statue of the one eyed witch…

In time to be seen by Severus Snape.

"Come with me, Potter."

Harry followed him downstairs, to Snape's office, "Sit."

Harry sat, Snape remained standing though.

"I was called to the Infirmary Wing by the nurse earlier, any idea why?"

Harry didn't say anything.

"Kari Ironhide passed out in the Common Room, did she not? After all, you were the one to report it."

Harry still didn't say anything.

"I was called by the nurse to provide an antidote to a potent sleeping potion that had been given to Ironhide, any idea how that happened?"

Harry tried to look surprised. "I don't know, Professor."

"As far as I'm aware there was only one other person in the Common Room other then Ironhide, and he swears that the two of you were drinking Butterbeer when he came in."

 _Neville!_ Harry thought with a mental growl.

"Ironhide was unaware of taking the potion, which means someone must have slipped it into, say, a drink."

"Could it have happened at breakfast?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice guiltless.

"No, she would never have made it to the Common Room." Snape sneered, "Drugging another student is a serious offence, Potter."

"But why would I spike her drink? She was keeping me company since I couldn't go with everyone else…"

"Then why did you suddenly vanish when she collapsed? Why didn't you come to see if she was alright in the Infirmary?" Snape asked accusingly.

"Because the source of the Butterbeer was suspect." Harry tried to defend himself.

"The female 'Spellcaster' told me something that her partner was reluctant to, Potter." Snape continued, "That Ironhide had stayed behind to prevent you from sneaking off to Hogsmead…" Harry didn't say anything. Snape's mouth curved into a horrible smile, "So, everyone, from the Minister for Magic downwards, have been trying to keep famous Harry Potter safe from Sirius Black, but famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself, and even feels he can drug his friends to get what he wants… for example to clear the way to sneak out to Hogsmead…"

There was nothing Harry could say, Mana had ratted him out in revenge for drugging her partner.

"Of course if this is true, then both offences are punishable by expulsion… empty your pockets, Potter." Snape demanded.

Harry didn't move, there was a pounding in his ears.

"Turn out your pockets or we go to the Headmaster." Cold with dread, Harry pulled out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map.

Snape picked up the Zonko's bag.

"Ron gave them to me ages ago." Harry said, hoping he'd have a chance to speak to Ron before Snape did.

"Indeed? And you've been carrying them around ever since? How very touching… and what is this?"

Snape had picked up the map. Harry tried with all his might to keep his face impassive. "Spare bit of parchment." He shrugged.

Snape turned it over, his eyes on Harry. "Surely you don't need such an old piece of parchment?" He said, "Why don't I just throw it away?" His hand moved towards the fire.

"No!" Harry said quickly.

"So!" Said Snape, "Is this another treasured gift from Mr Weasley, or is it something else? A letter perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or instructions on how to get into Hogsmead without passing the Dementors?"

Harry blinked, Snape's eyes gleamed.

Snape tried to make the map reveal itself, until finally, he grew angry and hit the map with his wand, saying, "Professor Severus Snape, Master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal."

Like an invisible hand was writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map.

**_Mr Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's businesses._ **

Snape froze, Harry stared, dumbstruck, at the message, but it wasn't done yet…

**_Mr Prongs agrees with Mr Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git._ **

It would've been funny had the situation not been so serious. And there was more…

**_Mr Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a Professor._ **

Harry closed his eyes in horror. When he'd opened them again the map had it's last words…

**_Mr Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball._ **

Harry waited for the blow to fall.

"So…" Said Snape softly, "We'll see about this…"

He strode across to the fire, seized a fistful of glittering powder from a jar on the mantle piece and thrown it into the fire. "Lupin!" Snape called into the fire, "I want a word!"

Utterly bewildered, Harry stared at the fire. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later Lupin was climbing out of the fire.

"You called, Severus?" Said Lupin mildly.

"I certainly did," Said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk, "I have just asked Potter to empty his pockets. He was carrying this." He pointed to the piece of parchment on which the words of Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs was still shining. Lupin got an odd closed look.

"Well?"

Harry thought Lupin looked like he was thinking quickly.

"Well?" Snape asked again. "This is clearly full of dark magic, this is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin, where do you imagine Potter got such a thing?"

"Full of dark magic?" Lupin repeated mildly, "Do you really think so Severus? It looks to me like a bit of parchment that insults anyone who tries to read it. Childish, but surely not dangerous? I imagine Harry got it from a joke shop."

"Indeed?" Said Snape, his jaw had gone rigid with anger, "You think a joke shop could supply him with such a thing? Surely he would have gotten it from the manufacturers?"

Harry didn't understand what Snape was talking about. Apparently neither did Lupin.

"You mean from Mr Wormtail or one of these people?" He said, "Harry do you know these people?"

"No." Harry said quickly.

"You see, Severus," Said Lupin, turning back to Snape, "It looks like a Zonko's product to me…"

Right on cue, Ron came bursting into the office. He was completely out of breath, and stopped just short of Snape desk, clutching the stitch in his chest and trying to speak.

"I… gave… Harry… that… stuff…" He choked, "Bought… it… in…Zonko's… ages… ago…"

"Well," Said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?" He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. "Harry, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay. Excuse us, Severus."

Harry didn't dare look at Snape on their way out. He, Ron and Lupin walked all the way back to the Entrance Hall without speaking. Then Harry turned to Lupin.

"Professor, I…"

"I don't want to hear excuses." Said Lupin shortly, he glanced around the empty Entrance Hall and then lowered his voice, "I happen to know this map was confiscated by Mr Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as Harry and Ron looked amazed, "I don't want to know, how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Harry."

Harry had expected that and was too keen for explanations to protest.

"Why did Snape think I got it from the manufacturers?"

"Because," Lupin hesitated, "Because these manufacturers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining."

"Do you know them?" Harry asked, impressed.

"We've met," Lupin replied shortly, he was looking at Harry more seriously then ever. "Don't expect me to cover for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would've thought what you heard when the Dementors draw near you would have more effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them… gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."

He walked away, leaving Harry feeling worse by far then he had at any point in Snape's office. Slowly he and Ron mounted the marble staircase. As Harry passed the one eyed witch, he remembered the invisibility cloak was still down there, but he didn't dare go and get it.

"It's my fault," Said Ron abruptly, "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't have done it…"

He broke off, they had reached the corridor where the Purple Eyes Silver Dragons were on guard, and the dragons were glaring at them. Ombre was leant on the wall next to the portrait, and stalked over to them. She punched Harry in the face, "If you ever, ever do that to my hikari again," She threatened, as Ron glared at her, "That will seem like a love bite."

"I didn't…"

"I don't care what crap you fed the teachers, I know it was you." Ombre scowled, "And you will not do it again otherwise I will introduce you to Yami Marik."

"You wouldn't…"

"Drug my hikari again, and I will send you to the Shadow Realm…"


	13. Meow

Bakura was in a gloating mood. "Look what I have!"

He waved the piece of parchment at Draco.

"What is it?" Draco asked, it could be anything, Bakura got countless letters, and most of Draco's as well. It had to be good news, Bakura hadn't seemed this happy in weeks.

"The results of that test I took last week. Now I just need to past the third level, and have my finances examined and I get the hippogriff! I can't believe it's been this easy!"

Bakura threw himself onto his bed, and started to read the letter in depth again

"Easy? Easy!" Draco began, thinking of the weeks of studying, and the days before the exam... Bakura had taken stress to a new level, and if Bakura had to suffer then so did everyone else. He had implemented study timetables, and enforced them.

Bakura glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. Draco calmed himself down. Bakura happy was a good thing. Then again... Bakura too happy, that might be like Bakura angry, or Bakura sad, or Bakura bored. Any extreme of emotion tended to end in the same way. Draco didn't want to think about that, surely Bakura happy wouldn't result in... No. Stop that thought there.

"So when's the next test?" Draco asked, it might just be a safe subject at the moment.

"They have scheduled it over the Easter Holidays because it's more practical than the others, and a lot longer. It's funny, if they knew my true age I wouldn't have to take so many tests. Hagrid only ever had to take the first test because of his age, and his experience as Hogwart's groundskeeper."

Bakura shrugged, as at least as much as he could while lying stomach down on his bed. "It doesn't matter, their records say I'm nineteen now, when I turn twenty one I don't need to have the third test. When I turn twenty five I wouldn't even need the second test, just a written statement of my experience and the relevant OWL exam."

"You didn't want to wait six years, but you're willing to wait two? I thought your plans were..."

Bakura reacted so quick Draco didn't have time to blink, but suddenly his voice was cut off by the hand over his mouth. "We may have only allies in this dormitory, but never speak in so public of a place, anyone could come in here. Do I have to remind you again?"

Draco nodded. "I didn't need reminding, I wasn't going to say anything... that might be considered a secret by either of us." He said when the hand was removed.

The good mood was mostly gone now. It was probably thanks to that good mood that he wasn't in pain right now. Then again Bakura was always more reasonable when...

"I'm going to see Ryou tonight." The voice was almost inflectionless. If Draco hadn't sensed that brief flash of pain at the end of their link he would have thought... no, don't think, thinking is bad... just let the thoughts drown beneath the lake that was his mind.

Ryou meant Bakura would retrieve that thing. That thing... Bakura was always darker, more dangerous when he had it, but sometimes... like just a few moments ago, a different Bakura... would rise to the surface. It never lasted long. That thing... it must remind Bakura of what needed to be done, at all costs, and it was only when he forgot for a moment, always a moment of pride, achievement, or fun, he came back down to earth, an earth where he had plans, and justice was needed. Draco kept his shivers inside, beneath the lake, results at any costs, even if it took everything. It was at these moments that Bakura seemed to be more Slytherin than the rest of the house put together.

* * *

The Gryffindor approached their next Care of Magical Creatures class with relish.

While it wouldn't be as interesting as their first lesson, Hagrid had managed to stay away from the more dangerous varieties, with flobberworms being a prime example of non-dangerous but the lessons had thankfully been more interesting since Bakura stormed out a few months ago.

None of the animals could normally be described as cute, except that few were bigger than a medium sized dog, and tended to be… as Bakura described them 'prey'.

A squeal of Lavender alerted them, shortly joined by an 'awww' from Pansy as the Slytherins joined them.

Normally Yami would have immediately noticed the absence of Bakura from his housemates, but was instead staring in horror.

It was cute.

It was too cute.

It was a little bundle of fur and it was purring.

Lavender knelt down and petted the small dark furred kitten. Its purr got louder, and it rubbed itself against her hand.

Hagrid came into sight, looking slightly worried, followed by two house sized cats… with wings, following them was six more little fuzzballs of cuteness.

When Hagrid sighted the kitten a glad smile broke through. "Yeh found Tuna. Thought we had lost teh little guy."

"Tuna?" Lavender asked, glancing up from the kitten; who promptly try to gain her attention again with a pitiful little mew.

"The kitten. It wandered off a few minutes ago, me an' Bakura were just discussing his choice, and then he was gone."

Bakura smiled and nodded, and the class started, they had not noticed him before.

Yami froze.

Ombre glared.

Joey almost fell over as one of the kittens seemed determined to trip him up.

Kari was captivated as one of the adults stared into her eyes.

Harry, Ron, and Dean shared a look as the girls and half of the boys in their class were drawn in by the kittens. Luckily they didn't notice Crabbe and Goyle share a very similar look.

Hagrid tried to start the lesson.

The kittens started to play 'catch that tail'.

Hagrid whistled loudly.

Most of the class returned their attention to Hagrid, except for Lavender who had picked up the black kitten, Tuna, and was now murmuring pet names.

"Now can anyone tell me wha these little guys are?" Hagrid began, and then waited for someone to answer.

The kittens had won back the class's attention and while one still was trying to trip up Joey, the others were climbing, clawing, meowing, purring and were chasing around the students in weaving patterns.

Hagrid glanced at Bakura, who was frowning slightly. "Sorry." He muttered, then gave out orders. "Lock, Key. Round them up." The older pair, Lock and Key, came to attention and within seconds of furling their wings the kittens were sitting quietly, behaving.

Yami started making escape plans.

"Now, does anyone know what these are?"

Ombre's hand shot up first, Hermione's not far behind, and surprisingly so did Malfoy's. Bakura glaring at him may have something to do with that.

Hagrid looked surprised to have so many volunteers.

"Malfoy?" Hagrid said, and Bakura was watching.

"Pilot Cats. They don't have wings when young. The larger pair could be Falcats or Griplets." The words came out in a rush. Bakura was not the only one who seemed surprised.

Hagrid was nodding, "Yeah, these are all Pilot Cats. Now anyone know why they don't have wings when their young?"

This time only Hermione's hand shot up in the air. "Hermione?"

"They are live births, unlike Falcats or Griffins which are hatched from eggs."

"Good. Now why are Pilot Cats considered dangerous?"

No hand rose this time. Silence stood for a time. Yami broke it.

"Because Griffins will protect them like they are their own, they can bedazzle the mind, and paralyse anything weaker than themselves. They never hunt alone." His voice was quiet and harsh after speaking so little in the past weeks.

"Aren't Pilot Cats very rare?" Parvati asked.

"We don't know, they are so similar to young Griffins, and prefer to run with a horde Griffins, protecting the Griplets in exchange for a cut of the fish. The young Pilot Cats don't usually stay with the horde, much like cuckoos they will leave a young kitten with a new mother cat until the kitten gains its wings."

"But then why are they here, with the kittens?"

"Tha's in teh wild, domesticated Pilot Cats are even less common than their wild counterparts. They chose their owners…" Hagrid continued.

"Partners, not owners." Bakura interrupted.

Hagrid readily agreed. "Yes, and Bakura has a friend who breeds them, luckily Key" The Silver furred, blue winged adult purred loudly, "chose Bakura, and Lock followed his mate." The second adult of amber fur and golden wings growled and flared his wings menacingly.

"Now can anyone guess what they eat?"

"Tuna?" Was Lavender's joking reply.

Hagrid and Bakura were both nodding.

"They'll eat any fish, but the young uns like it mashed, while the adults prefer live fish." Hagrid said, gesturing to two medium sized barrels. "Today you'll be teaching the young ones to recognise food when it's alive."

Most of the girls paled, as did Neville.

Bakura seemed to be studying the sky.

"Now, don't over feed em."

"Why?" Neville asked with just a hint of fear.

Hagrid looked puzzled by this question, "You'll make em ill if yer do."

Bakura smiled a rather nasty smile at Neville, "What did you think would happen?"

Neville backed away a pace.

It seemed to dawn on the whole class then that these were Bakura's and it would be very likely that if one of them made a mistake, then they would be at the nasty end of his temper.

This Care of Magical Creatures class was not filled with cowards, after all half the class was Gryffindors, but somehow most of them had never expected to be in danger… no that was wrong, after the first lesson most of them expected some measure of danger in this class.

They hadn't really expected Bakura to threaten them so openly. Except… well he always did threaten them, or at least the Gryffindors were always being threatened… and the Slytherin boys were always being threatened…

_Students attending a class today were killed, not as you may expect from an magical accident, as we all know happens from time to time, but by a single third year pupil, Bakura Malfoy, however the teacher has defended this student, saying, 'He was driven to it, after the way that class were treating the poor kittens…'_

Harry could clearly see it happening. He always wished his imagination wasn't so vivid at times like these. Somehow he always figured his death would be so much more meaningful.

The class began in earnest. It was surprisingly easy to get the kittens interested in the wiggling silver fish. Getting them to see them as food instead of toys proved to be a bit more difficult.

Bakura watched, Hagrid moved among the class trying to explain the best way to do it.

None of the fish got eaten.

Yami didn't even try, and just stood by one of the barrels, watching the fish. Still planning how to get out safely.

He was tired anyway, and trying not to watch his friends, while being very aware of exactly what each of his friends was doing.

That may have explained why Yami didn't notice one of the kittens sneaking up on him.

What it didn't explain was why Yami fainted when the kitten pounced.

* * *

_Why am I face down in the dirt?_

A vibrating growling mass clawing his back reminded him.

"…that cat off of Yami!" Someone was yelling.

"I can't" hissed a second voice that Yami identified as Bakura.

"Wingardium Leviosa" A female voice shouted. _That sounded like Kari…_

"Not on a Pilot Cat!" Three voices shouted, and Yami had to agree. The cat was gaining weight as it absorbed the magic.

Someone whistled, then Bakura called, "Here little Worm, come here Worm."

The thing on his back growled louder. _Worm? Worm! Which one of those terrors was called Worm?_

An image popped into Yami's mind. It had been the smallest of the kittens, and a muddy brown colour.

"It isn't working Bakura!" Joey sounded hostile. _Who knew Joey still cared?_

"I know Wheeler. You obviously don't know cats very well, do you?" Bakura again, sounding vicious.

Yami opened his eyes. A close up view of the grass wasn't very helpful.

"Can't you get Lock and Key to get Worm off?" That had to be Hermione.

Then was a moment of intense silence.

Yami tried to move, and found that all he could feel from his limbs was a painful tingling. He couldn't move.

_Mine._

Yami froze; the word stirring memories. No, it was a different voice, a different meaning.

Didn't enough things think they had a claim on his soul already?

"Key won't obey that order, and Lock and the kittens listen to her over me."

Panic started to set in. He couldn't move, no one was going to save him, there was no way out!

Why did Pilot cats hate him? Was he really evil? Felines were meant to be able to sense evil, and to drive it away.

That couldn't be true; after all they seemed to like Bakura readily enough. Unless Bakura wasn't evil… and Yami wasn't ready to go anywhere near that thought yet.

 _Mine_.

The voice said again, stronger this time, and the kitten, after a few circles, decided to lie down, and start purring.

"No!" Bakura shouted, seeming surprised, angry and despairing all in one word.

"Bakura!" Several voices shouted, and there was suddenly lots of noise. Yami tried turning his head.

He was just in time to see Harry, Ron, Hermione, Joey, Ombre, Kari and Yugi all facing off against Bakura with their wands pointing menacingly before Hagrid broke them up.

Bakura seemed to hiss as he spat out the words, "Fine. Have it your way." Before stalking away.

The kitten purred louder.

_Well, you can't be all bad if you don't like Bakura._

_Mine_. Sounded in his mind again, sounding satisfied.

The kitten stood up then, leapt off of Yami, and landed in front of his face.

Crimson eyes stared in pale green.

The kitten licked him.

Yami sighed with relief as the pain in his limbs receded.

"Please don't do that again." Yami asked as he pulled himself up.

The class turned round, most of them had been watching Bakura leave, but now they were staring at him. Again.

"Yami?" Yugi spoke first. It would be Yugi, wouldn't it?

Yami wouldn't meet his eyes; the grass was so much more interesting when you were further away from it.

No one spoke for a moment.

"Do what again?" Yugi looked confused.

"I was talking to the thing." Yami replied, finding out once again that anger made it so much easier to meet his eyes.

"Class dismissed for the day, I want a foot of parchment on feeding Pilot cats and similar creatures." Hagrid said.

Yami broke off the staring contest that had developed with Yugi.

He walked away.

So deep in thought was he that he didn't hear the foot steps behind him, running to caught up.

A hand touched his shoulder, and he spun around.

"Get away from me." he hissed before even realising who it was. The look of surprise on Joey's face hurt.

"Yami, stop walking away from us." That was Kari, determination written across her face.

The shadow magic answered his anger, rushing to the surface, and hesitation appeared in Kari's eyes.

"Stay away from me, Ironhide." Yami bit out the words.

"Yami, don't go. We're your friends." Yugi, always looking so innocent, so fragile.

The shadow magic bubbled, fighting against his control.

"Friends?" Yami laughed; the sound coming out harsh and mocking, "Friends? You're not my friends."

Yugi took a step back, pain flashing in his eyes.

"How dare you?" Hermione had caught up, as had Ron and Harry, "They're just trying to help, and you hurt them? We are your friends and you would attack us?" Hermione started ranting in her lecturing voice.

Yami lost control.

He watched as the shadows rushed out, horror dawning.

Hermione had already reacted.

For the second time that day Yami lost consciousness.

For the first time the shadows didn't fade away when the duellist lost control.

Ombre leapt in front of Hermione, Orb ready.

One blinding light later, the shadows were gone.

And Worm was once again sitting on top of Yami.

* * *

The gang was late for Charms, having taken Yami up to the hospital wing.

They divided into pairs, Harry and Ron. Yugi and Joey, Kari and Ombre…

"Hey, where'd Hermione go?" Joey asked, confused.

The gang looked around, Hermione hadn't followed them in, yet Harry knew she'd been right behind him when Joey had opened the door.

"That's weird." Kari frowned.

"Maybe she just went to the toilet."

However she didn't rejoin them during the entire lesson as they practised Cheering Charms, and she wasn't at dinner either. By the time the Cheering Charms were beginning to wear off the gang were starting to get worried. They hurried up to the Gryffindor Tower…

And found Hermione sitting at a table, fast asleep. Her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. Harry, Ron. Kari and Joey ranged themselves around the table, then Harry prodded her awake.

Yugi and Ombre were discussing something over by the fire as Hermione awoke with a start, she dashed off to talk to Professor Flitwick and met up with the members of the gang who were in Divination, as they entered the tower.

Harry didn't fail to note one absence though…

Yami hadn't recovered yet, or if he had he was skipping class.

And halfway through Professor Trelawney's announcement about the fact that Harry had the Grim again, Hermione and the Professor had a shouting match and Hermione stormed out, shouting that she was dropping the class.

Everyone watched her go, stunned.

Harry hoped that Trelawney hadn't seen the Grim though; he didn't need another near death experience this close to the Quidditch Finals.

Yugi, Ombre and Ryou's plans swung into action the following Saturday, during the lunch hour after Yugi's Quidditch Practise.

Yugi waited until Yami wasn't looking, then slipped all the contents from a bottle from his pocket into Yami's pumpkin juice. Yami was going to kill him when he woke up, but it was necessary, the Shadow Duellists had to talk and this was the only way of getting him to stay still long enough.

He wondered how Ryou was going to get Bakura to take it…

After all…

Yami's reaction would be nothing compared to Bakura's.

In the hallway, Ryou and Bakura were talking.

"So Yugi and Ombre are trying to gather everyone together to work out some way of trying to rein in the Shadow Magic?" Bakura asked and Ryou nodded. "Pointless, but I suppose they don't expect me to come."

"Actually…" Ryou held up a small bottle, the liquid inside glinted in the light, "I'm supposed to slip this in your pumpkin juice but I couldn't see a way of doing it without you noticing."

"A sleeping potion?" Bakura asked, and he smirked when Ryou nodded, "I think the Pharaoh's Runt, and your girlfriend are losing their morals, but I'm not going. I quite like seeing the Pharaoh go through all of this, and the Shadows can't be controlled at the moment so it's pointless."

"Don't you want to know what they're planning at least, in case it affects you or your plans in any way?" Ryou asked. Bakura thought about it then snatched the bottle from Ryou.

"Fine, I'll go."


	14. Deal With the Devil

Some had drugged his pumpkin juice! Evil. Definitely an evil mastermind at work.

Yugi would pay… just as soon as he woke up.

But this place was strange, filled with silver mist, and he knew he was asleep. Certainly strange.

It was almost like being in the shadow realm, apart from the colour scheme.

He started walking.

What else was there to do?

He shivered, it was cold here, and it numbed him.

It was nice not to feel.

He didn't want to feel anymore, it was hard and painful and it hurt. It was tearing him apart.

The silvery light that lit the mist was fading now, and with it the mist.

There was someone else here.

Then he saw the shadows, surging against the boundary of mist and light.

The shadows divided them, and he couldn't see the figure clearly through the mist.

The shadows wanted him.

Why else would they fight so hard against the silver mist?

He didn't want the mist to go. It had stopped the pain, for a brief while.

The mist failed, and the shadows rushed forward to engulf him.

They were so warm, so very warm. The memories started to return, and with them the pain.

_Mine._

This he knew. He had resisted for so long, so very, very long. He hadn't been doing a good job of resisting lately.

He was theirs, and they were his.

He couldn't move, couldn't breath, and couldn't think.

_Why would you want to?_

He was theirs. Their toy.

_Mine. Forever._

Why did he ever pretend to be more?

 _You are mine. You belong to us._ The words echoed through his soul, driving away coherent thought.

Leaving only a denial. "No. Never."

_You do. Look here._

The image was flung at his heart, and caused more pain than a dagger.

Yugi, looking at him in terror as he attacked, and an overwhelming flash flood of anger.

"No, I won't. I wouldn't. I couldn't!"

_We don't lie._

Silence.

_You gave yourself to us. You are ours. You are one of our creatures. Remember._

The pain was intense, terror in the faces of his opponents, and unending anger.

_You can't escape._

"I don't believe you."

_Let go. Give up._

_After all, we already control you._

"I won't hurt my friends."

_You won't._

"You will."

_We won't. Join us and we'll protect them all, all that you name._

"But…" The offer sounded familiar, the memory remained elusive.

_They need protection._

He wasn't alone. Someone was watching. Yami's eyes sought those that watched him.

"Bakura?"

"They won't." The voice sounded strange… almost like… crushed.

_You are ours, let us protect those you care about, let us free._

"Don't." Barely above a whisper. Why was Bakura… just why?

If Bakura didn't want something then… it had to be something good… didn't it?

_Yes. Let us in. Let us free._

"Watch." Bakura held up his hand, and a rush of images filled Yami's mind.

The emotions were dead, but the pain was real, the chaos was real. There were too many images. Yami tried to shake himself free of them, and they slowed… then halted altogether.

Yami stared at Bakura in shock. The lack of emotion had made them all the more horrible. Why would Bakura hurt his (if not friends then allies) like that?

"Why?"

"The shadows can numb as well."

_How dare you? He was broken. How dare you defy us?_

"There is nothing left that they can do to me."

_You are wrong. You are ours, and you will break._

The shadows rose up; Bakura's expression didn't change, as the shadows tried… something.

_You won't stop us. We will be free._

The shadows were coating his skin, caressing his. Yami had to suppress a shiver.

_You broke before, you'll break again. You will send us food and we will feed, and grow in power and then we'll be free._

"No, I'm not that person anymore. I won't send you souls."

_You tried to join the light. We will destroy them. You will destroy them. You are ours. They hate you now. They always did. They will betray you._

"I won't betray my friends."

_You are one of us. You belong here._

"No…"

_Yes._

"Never."

_Always and forever. We won't let you go again._

A knife appeared, hovering between the two spirits being held in position.

_Take it._

Their hands obeyed without consulting their minds. Both hands grasped the dagger at the same time. Both held it tightly.

They were after all only spirits while in the shadows. Their hands lay over the same handle, overlapping, sharing the same place.

Neither would or could let go.

Any ghost will tell you if asked rightly, if they share space with another of their kind, they would share emotions at the least. The more powerful spirits could hear thoughts, and see memories.

What ever else you thought of Yami and Bakura, they were very old and powerful spirits.

And now they were in each other's minds.

* * *

Kari and Ombre cast spells sealing the doors to the empty classroom as Ryou and Yugi made sure that the knots that tied Bakura and Yami to the chairs were secure so that they didn't try to kill anyone… or run away, and these chairs had deliberately been placed so they could see everyone else but not each other. Ombre had gone to Professor Flitwick yesterday, to ask if she could borrow the classroom for the afternoon.

What she'd failed to mention was that she'd chosen it because it was the classroom with the least amount of things in.

Yugi sighed as he reached for the Puzzle that rested on Yami's robes…

Before he was thrown halfway across the classroom.

Kari wheeled around, and helped Yugi to his feet.

"Who was that?"

"It can't have been Yami, he's not awake."

"But it wasn't us…"

"Can the Puzzle act on its own?"

"It did the other day… or at least the shadows did…"

"That's the second time that the Shadow Magic has acted without Yami directing it." Ryou stated.

"Third." Ombre said, shaking her head. "There was an incident earlier this week, on our way back from Care of Magical Creatures that most people don't know about."

"And there are probably others that Yami hasn't told us about. He hasn't exactly been talkative these past few weeks."

"Ryou?"

"You want me to try taking the Ring off of Bakura? That's idiocy verging on suicide."

"I know, but what else can we do?" Ombre replied.

Ryou sighed and turned to Bakura, he seemed to wait for a few moments. Then… "It doesn't want to come. Not now."

"What did you do?"

"The Ring comes when called, and sometimes goes when it's sent, or mostly chooses itself when to come and go."

Yugi was staring at the Puzzle, and walked over to Yami.

"Yugi?" Kari asked, "What're you…?"

Kari didn't have time to finish her question as Yugi grabbed the chain, instead of reaching for the Puzzle. But instead of lifting the Puzzle off and tossing it out the window, like previously planned, he put the chain partly over his own head, trying his best to ignore the jolts of Shadow Magic that were shocking him warningly.

And Yugi's eyes closed with a snap.

"Of all the stupid… idiotic… dumb ass…" Kari started, rushing over and reaching for the chain.

She crashed into Ombre as the Shadows hit her hard.

"What can we do?" Kari asked.

"Not much." Ombre sighed, "Just wait and hope."

Ryou looked to Yugi and wondered why he had done it the hard way. Unless Yami was trying to keep him out.

At least Ryou didn't have that worry; Bakura had never tried to lock him out. He sat down against a wall and closed his eyes.

* * *

Yugi found himself in the shadow realm.

He hadn't expected that.

Yami was no where to be seen, but he had expected that, and was ready for it.

The only question was 'how long would he last?'

"Take me to Yami." He requested. The shadow realm normally answered to his requests.

There was no sense of movement in the shadow realm, but power was being pulled out of him. It was doing as he asked.

Suddenly he stopped moving. He didn't know how he knew, but then he didn't know a lot of things about the shadow realm. It was only now that he was starting to think that was a mistake.

The shadows were flowing, like the tides, in and out, and always a little more in than out.

He needed to go to the centre. The shadows wouldn't take him any further. Not willingly.

There was something forming at the centre. Yami had to be involved. Who else could it be?

He started walking, and brought his magic to the surface. Yami always called him Hikari, the light. The shadows didn't fear light, Yugi had learnt that long ago, but they did flee before it.

It allowed him to pass freely, but would cost him later.

He would pay the cost gladly if it gave him the time to save Yami from himself.

Two shadowy figures came into view. Yugi swallowed. They were little more than darker shadows, was he too late?

They didn't seem to notice him. Except… he hadn't imagined that they flinched when their eyes darted to glance at him, and so Yugi let his light fade a bit.

They were holding a knife. A wicked looking dagger that seemed to be the only item apart from Yugi that wasn't coated in shadows.

"Yami? Bakura?" He asked, half expecting one or both of them to lash out at him.

Instead he watched as a struggle was fought across both their faces, until as one they turned their heads and snarled the words "Be gone, you are not wanted here."

Yugi felt his heart waver. His light faded.

 _Mine, be mine._ The shadows whispered, pulling at his mind. Yugi answered both statements with a firm "No."

He fed more power into making light. It would keep him safest in this realm.

Yami and Bakura hadn't waited for his reply, instead turning back to face each other. Yugi studied them for a moment, and realised something was wrong.

Their outlines were blurring, especially around the hands that held the dagger. Then it dawned on him, they were overlapping.

What was with the dagger?

_Touch it, take it, will you be mine?_

Yugi shook his head, trying to clear the shadows out of his mind.

"I miss you Yami, the real you. The Yami that was my friend, and would never let me down."

There was no reply.

Yugi reached out to touch him. The shadows retreated from his light, not by much, but maybe… just maybe enough.

The touch was electric.

Pain screamed through Yugi's mind, images flashed in front of his eyes quicker than he could see them, power tore at his mind, tore at his soul.

A whirlwind of pain and regret and hatred. A whirlwind he couldn't escape from. He was trapped in the dark.

 _Yami!_ Yugi tried calling out with his mind. He felt the shock of recognition, seemingly echoed, and then utter despair.

Yugi felt his light fading. He couldn't fight this.

 _Yugi!_ Someone shouted, and then again "Yugi!"

The voice showed his the path.

Yugi withdrew from Yami, letting their link go dormant again.

He blinked, "Ryou?" They were both still standing in the shadow realm.

_Mine._

The blond sighed, "I thought you were gone too."

_I want._

"I thought I was." Yugi said, he had honestly had thought he would be destroyed then.

"What did you see?"

"Nothing I understood, apart from the pain."

_We'll take the pain away._

"The shadows want them back to how they were before we came along and changed them."

_They are ours. Not yours, ours._

"But why?"

"Because they had more to feed on then."

_Hungry. So hungry. Feed us, please feed us._

Yugi shook his head again. He was so tired, and now the shadows seemed to be whispering to him, calling to him.

Ryou was watching him carefully. "I don't think you should be here much longer Yugi, you're fading."

_Yes, turn off the light. They burned once too, but the light went away._

"I can't just leave Yami here." But as he said this he felt a shiver, glancing at his hand he could clearly see through it.

_Stay. Mine. Don't go yet. This is his home, our home, make it yours as well._

"Both Yami and Bakura will last far longer than us. They lasted five thousand years, I doubt a few more minutes will make much different." Ryou replied, but Yugi could hear the lie in his voice.

Even a few minutes in the shadow realm could feel like a lifetime.

"There has to be something we can do."

_Yes there is. There always is. Stay. Don't go. Yami doesn't want you to go._

Pain lanced through Yugi.

"Yugi, you have to leave now, while you still can, the shadows won't let you leave if they can stop you."

"You can hear them too?"

"Yes, now go, before it's too late."

Yugi sighed, and nodded.

"I'll be back."

_Yes, you will._

* * *

Yugi opened his real eyes, quickly slipping off the chain of the Millennium Puzzle, and attempting to get to his feet… attempting was the right word as Ombre had to assist him over to a desk, where he could sit and think.

"You two are bloody mental!" Kari was fuming, Yugi could see real fear in her eyes, he wasn't surprised if he looked as bad as he felt.

"The Shadows are trying to reclaim Yami and Bakura." Yugi stated, feeling more tired then if Wood had had him playing Quidditch twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.

"The Shadows?" Ombre asked and frowned.

"But…" Kari looked at her yami, "Our Shadow Magic, while wild at the moment, is nowhere as out of control as the others…"

"Yes, but ours isn't exactly pure Shadow Magic is it?" Ombre partly asked her hikari, "Other then a brief time, when you were petrified, our magic has always had a golden glow, we're not safe from the problem, but we're not in immediate danger, our magic's still protecting us and refusing to take orders from the shadows…"

"It was purple and black when it escaped me after the fight with Ron." Kari admitted.

"You're right. So the magic that's gone rogue is just the Shadow Magic, and not our magic. It's probably because our magic is related to Shadow Magic that the Shadows came out then."

"So you two have the most resistance to it?" Yugi asked.

Kari frowned, "I'm not sure, the Shadow Realm affected me pretty damn quickly in my Game against Bakura…"

"I think we just don't use Shadow Magic, but clearly it can use us."

"I don't like that thought." Kari growled, "I don't like that thought one little bit." She stared at the Puzzle and the Ring, "We can't let the Shadows have Yami and Bakura back… Yugi what was Yami like before?"

"I can't remember a lot of the earliest Shadow Games, but he was willing to let Kaiba jump at Duellist Kingdom…" Yugi trailed off, Kari was thinking.

"There's no way you can go back in there as you are, Yugi." Ombre told him.

"I have to!" Yugi protested, "I can't let the Shadows take Yami from me!"

"You go back in there now, and you will fade away!" Kari snapped at him, then her eyes widened and she shot round to look at Ryou, who was pale, but didn't seem to be having half the trouble Yugi had had.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Yugi demanded.

Kari bit her lower lip, "Ombre…"

"You're not going in there. No way…" Ombre glared at her hikari, then smiled warily, "But I will."

"Ombre?! What if the Shadows try to pull you in too?" Kari asked, worried.

"The Orb will protect me, but I need someone who can get me in there in the first place, the Shadow Realm has never answered my call…"

"I'll help." Yugi said, holding her gaze. "Yami needs me."

Ombre opened her mouth, saw the look on Yugi's face and sighed, "Yami will never forgive me if anything happens to you…"

"Then I'll go, I'm not as tired as Yugi." Ryou cut in.

Ombre jumped, she hadn't realised Ryou had come back. She nodded and Yugi looked positively murderous as Ryou and Ombre closed their eyes and Kari growled.

"There's got to be something we can do on this end!" Kari growled, hating feeling useless and helpless. She saw Yugi make a move towards the Puzzle again and drew her wand, "I'll stun you before you're halfway across the room if you try, Yugi."

His only response was to glare at her.

"Fine, so you want Yami, Joey, your Grandpa, Tristan, Tea, Ron, Harry, Hermione…" Kari kept up the list for quite a while, distracting Yugi, "All to kill me for letting you go back into the Shadow Realm? I'm worried about Ombre, she's a yami too, Shadow Magic or no, we have to wait and see, there's nothing else we can do."

"Yami needs me." Yugi growled mostly to himself, glaring at the floor, while his hands curled so tightly into fists that he could feel his nails cutting into his palms, "I can't stand here and do nothing…"

"Yugi…"

Yugi stared at her, and Kari stared back.

What she missed was him slowly pulling his wand out of his back pocket of his robes.

"Stupefy!" Yugi shouted, pointing his wand at Kari who wasn't fast enough to counter, and was knocked unconscious by the spell. Yugi grasped the chain of the Puzzle, not thinking about the fact that this time the Puzzle didn't try to shock him, and slipping it on.

Kari could kill him later; he had more important things to worry about.

Like getting Yami back.

* * *

The Shadow realm was darker, the currents he had noticed before were moving quicker.

Yugi was glad to feel that for once it wasn't being… noticed. But there was danger in that as well. Not for him, but it meant someone else had the shadow's attention.

Enough that he couldn't just ask to be taken to Yami like he had done before. He would have to use his own power.

He followed the currents again, travelling deeper into the shadows, back to its centre.

It wasn't until he came into sight of Yami and Bakura that the shadows noticed him.

_Mine._

Yugi shivered.

_Welcome back._

Yugi was starting to wonder if this had been a good idea.

"What are you doing here?" Ombre shouted when she noticed him.

"I came to help."

_Help! Don't burn, let us out, free us._

Yugi's breath caught in his throat. "Did you hear that?"

"The shadows lie Yugi. Don't listen." Ryou said.

_Why would we lie? You are one of us. We wouldn't lie to one of our own._

"But it doesn't sound like lies." Warmth washed over Yugi, the shadow's way of saying 'Thank you'.

"But they do. They are trying to break Yami and Bakura."

_Why would we break them? They are ours, part of us, they forgot us, forgot the price, they always forgot too much. Lonely. So very lonely._

"What are you going to do?"

_Turn off the light. The light hurts, it burns. Keep it away, turn it off._

"Break them out of this paralysis." Ombre said.

_No, you'll hurt them. You will take them away, don't take them away._

"But how? They don't respond. They haven't even notice us." Yugi said, looking towards the two statue-like figures. "They are blurring." It was true; while Yugi had been gone the boundaries between Yami and Bakura had starting to fade. It was near impossible now to see the differences between the two hands that gripped the dagger so tightly.

_Ours. One of us. Part of us. Don't hurt us._

"It would help if we knew what the shadows were trying to do." Ombre said, circling around them.

_Go away dawn's light. Don't want you. Stay away from us._

"Dawn's light?" Confusion showed on both Ryou's and Yugi's faces.

_Doesn't belong here. Isn't wanted here. Keep her away. She hurts us._

"It means me?" Ombre asked. "But… that's strange, why would it call me light?"

Ryou shook his head, "The shadows lie. We know this. It can't mean anything."

_Little light, feed us. Aren't you hungry? We are. Feed us._

"Why are you hungry?" Yugi asked quietly.

_Hidden light knows._

Ryou's eyes widen slightly. "No I don't. Why would I?"

_We hear. We remember. The thing that devours souls steals our power._

"Devours souls?"

_Locked away in shadows, but a thing of darkness, we can not hold it well, but here it is held._

"The Dementors."

_Devours souls and takes our food, and when we don't feed them, they feed on us._

"No, that doesn't make sense. The shadows were acting up long before Yami sent those Dementors to the shadow realm."

_Feed us? Hungry._

"What would you eat?"

_Clever little light. Want you. Keep you. Memories, hopes, dreams, fears._

"They why do you want souls?"

_Our purpose. One of the choices. We are sealed; we no longer have that purpose._

"What were the choices?"

_Choices? What choice?_

"You said your purpose was one of the choices."

_Rebirth, resettlement, retribution, cleansing and ending._

"Side tracking Yugi, it doesn't matter what the shadows say, they lie. Why don't you go back? You can't focus."

_Hate. Go away dawn's light._

"What price do you want for Yami and Bakura?"

_Who?_

"The two you are holding here." Yugi indicated.

_Burning shadow and grief's shadow?_

"I guess. What is the price?"

_Price? They are ours, one of us. Would you ask your price as well?_

Yugi sighed. In many things the shadows seemed like a child. "What price is their freedom?"

_They are free. As much as all of us. We can't leave, let us free?_

"Would you let them leave?"

_Free us. Then they'll be free. Let us out. Let us free._

"Yugi that's not going to work. Stop talking to the shadows."

 _Go away!_ This time it was shouted. The shadows surged, and Ombre vanished.

"Ombre!" Ryou and Yugi yelled.

"What did you do to her?" Ryou ranted at the shadows.

_Sent her away. Sent her into the coldness. Don't want her here. She was hurting us._

"Fine. Send me there too."

_No. Mine. Like you. Keep you._

"Yugi, I think we should leave." Ryou said, and Yugi, after some hesitation, nodded.

_No._

Yugi's eyes started to fill with terror. "I can't leave."

"The shadows… I didn't know they had this much power over us."

_Mine. Mine. Like you. Won't let go. Feed us?_

"Why won't you let us leave?"

_One of us. Be one of us? Like you. Won't hurt you._

"Let us go."

_Why? You're part of us, one of us._

"We don't belong here. We'll die."

The shadows were silent for a moment then. _Die?_

"Yes, we can't live here. We'll die."

_No. Don't want you to die. You're one of us. We won't let you die._

Yugi and Ryou share a glance. This was new.

"What about our friends? You're killing them."

_They forgot us! The darkness said this would make them remember. Won't kill them. It hurts. Why does it hurt?_

"They are dying. It hurts when you die. Ask Bakura."

_We remember. Don't die._

"Will you let us go? All four of us?"

_Will you come back?_

"Why do you want us?"

_You are one of us. Hurts when you aren't here. Hurts when we can't feel you._

"Will you let us go?"

_Don't want you to go._

"Will you let us go?"

_Promise you'll come back?_

Yugi nodded, and Ryou after a second thought nodded with him.

_Promise!_

"We promise to return."

_To release them from themselves you must remove the knife. The knife will only be released when it spills blood. Since it holds two, two must spill blood._

"It can't be that simple. I don't trust the shadows Yugi."

The shadows were oddly quiet.

"Do you have a better idea? It didn't sound like they want us to die."

"No, they just want us to stay here forever."

"Ryou, I can't do this on my own. Now are we going to get Yami and Bakura out of here or not?"

"I…"

_Don't want to leave._

"Yugi, I still can't go. The shadows aren't letting me go." More than a hint of panic could be heard in Ryou's voice.

"Why not? I thought they had agreed to let us go?"

_All or none. Free us, or don't. None or All._

"Ryou, I don't think we have much of a choice here." Yugi stepped up to the dagger, and his hand reached out to touch the blade, or tried to, the blade moved away from him, and Yugi noticed a tremble along Yami's arm.

"Yami, either I do this or the shadows don't let any of us go."

With a sigh Ryou came to stand beside Yugi. "I'm with you Yugi."

The two boys made a grab for the dagger's blade, grasping it. Blood flowed. There was no pain.

They stood for just a moment like that. Then Yugi collapsed, Ryou was dragged down with him.

The dagger fell.

With a cry of outrage both Yami and Bakura leapt back from each other, newborn hatred in their eyes, but also a glimmer of understanding.

 _Come back soon._ The shadows called out as they fell away from the four boys. _Promises must be kept._

* * *

Yami woke, and drew in a deep breath. "Never again. Never do that again." He uttered, to find his words were being uttered by his hated enemy.

It really lost its impact when he realised Kari was the only one awake in the room, except for himself and Bakura.

* * *

Hermione glanced up from her homework as a group of four Gryffindors entered Common Room.

Kari and Ombre, Yugi and Yami.

She sighed with relief; she hated it when her friends were fighting.

Hermione was also the first to realise they were ill at ease about something, and for the first time in a long time, not at each other. Except that the entire group seemed annoyed and worried about Yugi, and anyone being annoyed with Yugi was weird in itself, but…

Yugi seemed fine, except he kept rubbing the palm of his hand, and looking exhausted.

Joey was well aware they'd had something planned to try to sort things out, but from the looks on their faces, the shit had hit the fan when they'd tried whatever they'd tried.

"The Shadows called you Dawn's light?" Kari asked quietly. "Does that make me Dawn's shadow?"

Ombre smiled slightly at that, "I wouldn't have thought so Hikari, I don't think the shadows would mistake you for a yami."

Yami was staying quiet. He didn't know what to think at the moment. Yugi had slipped that sleeping potion into his drink, making it easy to trap him in the shadows. He definitely wasn't happy about what Yugi had had to do to get them all out of the Shadow Realm, but where did they go from here… other then bed, which was where Yugi was headed.

The Common Room's noise had quieted for a second, and then started back up again as Third years and upwards studied, and tried to get homework done. A task that was proving difficult for the Quidditch players, as Wood had them on the Quidditch pitch everyday, in preparation for the upcoming Gryffindor vs Slytherin match, and Harry was being driven to the point of distraction about the fact Harry should 'only catch the Snitch if we're more then fifty points up, or we win the match but lose the cup.'

After shouting at Oliver Wood, on the Friday, Harry didn't feel much better, as Yami had dropped out… or been kicked out… of the Team. He was the only Seeker Gryffindor had and that meant he was a prime target for the Slytherins. He wanted to win, more then anything, the rivalry between his group, and the Malfoys' group had never been higher. Between the match and whatever had happened that Saturday, Bakura was out for blood.

Never, in anyone's memory was the atmosphere more highly charged, Wood had had to put a guard on Harry, since everywhere he went, Slytherins tried to trip him up, or get him injured in some way. Harry who was more concerned for his Firebolt's saftey then his own, checked it constantly during breaktimes.

The Friday before the match most of the Professors who took classes of Slytherins and Gryffindors were docking points at fanatic rate. It got to the point where Hufflepuff was in the lead for house points. The fights breaking out in the corridors were getting bad enough that more than one student would be missing the beginning of the match. Class work related injuries climbed, ending when a furious Professor Sprout escorted Hadrien Strife, a sixth year Slytherin, with Nigel Thorn, a sixth year Gryffindor, to the infirmary after pairing them up in class.

No one was quite sure how trimming an orange walking tree had gotten both students in the infirmary when normally the two students in question were mild in temperament, and the argument had only gotten as far as harsh words.

Luckily that was the last class before the match.

No Gryffindor Quidditch player was allowed to go anywhere alone, by Wood's orders, but Yugi had managed to slip past his guards when Harry's contingent had left after class since he wanted to go up to the Monster's Wing to check on Boh. The smallest duel monster had been getting some of the fallout from the problem, no one dared attempt to bully Mahado, or Mana, or any of the other Gryffindors' Duel Monsters, but poor Boh had exploded five or six times over the last week when Slytherins had tried to bully him. Even though Boh kept putting those Slytherins in the hospital bed over night, the Slytherins hadn't learnt their lesson, and Boh was getting depressed.

Yugi found himself in a position that he didn't realise he'd put Joey many times before, he was trying to protect Boh and cheer him up, while debating whether or not to go to someone with the authority to really do something about it. The thing was he didn't trust the Teachers not to shrug it off as something to do with the upcoming match, and just assign the bullies a detention and then think the problem would go away. Professor McGonagall would do something but she was constantly either teaching or dealing with a problem, and he wouldn't even contemplate going to Professor Snape, he would be given a detention for no apparent reason, probably for 'breathing too loudly'.

He reached the Wing just as Boh slipped out the door. "Hey Boh." The littlest light sighed, walking back down the corridor with him.

 _What's wrong?_ Boh asked. He'd been worried ever since that Shadow Realm incident.

" _I don't feel well."_ Yugi admitted, _"But it's just a cold, nothing serious."_

_Have you told Yami?_

" _He'd make me go see Madam Pomfrey, and I'm not that ill. Have you seen the amount of patients she has?"_ Yugi stopped and looked over his shoulder, as they wandered down an empty corridor, _"Are we being followed?"_

_Not sure…_

"Muto!" A teen yelled.

_Apparently, yes…_

* * *

Oliver stormed into the Hospital Wing, surrounded by Harry, the gang and quite a few more Gryffindors.

At one end of the room, were several Slytherins, all of whom looking like they'd been through a blender and looked absolutely petrified of one of the many Gryffindors down the other end of the infirmary.

Yami and Yugi were in beds at the other end.

Yami was sat up, watching his Hikari, who was either sleeping or unconscious, Wood could quite easily work out what had happened, and couldn't decide wither to start tearing up Slytherins or his team mates, as the third years that had followed him went over to their class mates.

However, before he decided, Bakura Malfoy was brought in. He was carried by Crabbe and Goyle, with Draco Malfoy guarding their rear, his wand out. Bakura looked worse for wear, not that Oliver cared.

What he did care about was the fact that Madam Pomfrey said that Yugi Muto would not be fit to play tomorrow, he wasn't even to be let out of the Hospital Wing until at least Sunday, possibly before lessons Monday.

Flint stormed in seconds after Wood left. An increasingly large group of Gryffindors and Slytherins were starting to block the corridors. A fight began to break out as Madam Pomfrey informed the Slytherin captain that 'No, Bakura Malfoy would not be fit to play tomorrow morning,' and, 'You can go speak to Professor Snape if you like, what I say is final and he will not be fit to play tomorrow.'

Flint was furious hat he'd have to use a reserve and slammed and banged around and was finally kicked out of the Hospital Wing by an irate Madam Pomfrey who glared at the group outside her infirmary and started to shout.

The students scattered. Somehow being put in the infirmary by the school's medi-witch didn't appeal to anyone.

* * *

Harry slept badly. First he dreamed he'd overslept and Wood was shouting, "Where were you? We had to use Nevile instead!" And then he dreamed the Slytherin Team had turned up to play on dragons, and he was flying at breakneck speed to avoid Malfoy's dragon's flames when he remembered he didn't have his Firebolt. He fell through the air and woke with a start.

It took a few seconds for Harry to remember that the match hadn't taken place yet, that he was safe in bed, and that the Slytherin Team definatly wouldn't be allowed to play on dragons.

As quietly as he could, Harry got out of bed and poured himself a glass of water from the silver jub beneath the window.

Harry set down his glass and was about to turn back to his bed, when he spotted an animal of some kind prowling the lawn. He quickly grabbed his glasses, and hurried back to the window.

_It couldn't be the Grim, not now, not right before the match._

He quickly scanned the ground again, and was relieved to find it wasn't the Grim at all, it was a cat. Harry sighed in relief as he recognised the bottle-brush tail, it was only Crookshanks.

Or was it?

Harry watched as a gigantic shaggy, looking black dog emerged from the trees, moving stelthily across the lawn. Crookshanks walking at his side.

If Crookshanks could see it, it couldn't be an omen of Harry's death. Right?

He tried to wake up Ron or Joey, but neither would without a great deal of noise and when Harry turned back to the window, both dog and cat were gone.

* * *

The Gryffindor Quidditch Team entered the Great Hall on the morning of the match, to enormous applause, Harry grinned as he saw Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were cheering too. The Slytherin table hissed loudly as they passed, Draco looked paler then normal.

Wood spent the whole of breakfast encouraging the team to eat, while eating nothing himself. Then he hurried them out before anyone else had finished, to another round of applause.

Wood paced the pitch, giving advice based on the weather or the hardness of the ground, then ordered them into the changing room as the rest of the school started to flood down to the pitch.

No body spoke as they got changed, Harry felt like he'd eaten something extremely wiggly for breakfast. The team were welcomed onto the pitch by a tidal wave of noise. Three-quarters of the crowd were wearing scarlet rosettes or waving Gryffindor flags, or brandishing banners that said things like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" or "LIONS FOR THE CUP!".

The other quarter were stood behind the Slytherin Goalposts and were wearing green, and waving Slytherin flags, Professor Snape was sat in the very front row, with a very grim smile plastered on his face.

"And here come the Gryffindors!" Lee Jordan called, "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley and Wood! Widley acknologed as the best side Hogwarts has seen for a long time." Lee's comments were drowned out by boos from the Slytherin end, "And here comes the Slytherin Team, looks like Flint's made a few changes to the line up too, going for size rather then skill."

Harry looked, Lee was right, other then Malfoy, the Slytherin team looked huge.

"Captains shake hands." Oliver and Flint looked like they were trying to crush each other's hands. "Mount your brooms!"

"Three." Hermione activated the spell to allow Yugi to watch the match from the Hospital Wing.

"Two." Draco smirked at the Gryffindor Team.

"One." Harry tensed, ready for the…

The whistle's shriek was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms took off at once.

" **And it's Gryffindor in possession, Bell passes to Spinnet, and she's headed straight for the Slytherin Goalposts… Argh, NO! Quaffle intercepted by Warrington of Slytherin, Warrington's tearing up the pitch… Nice Bludger work by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, which is caught by Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession… Come on Angelina! Nice swerve round Montague, duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! SHE SCORES! TEN – ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"**

Angelina punched the air as she soared round the end of the pitch; the sea of scarlet screaming its delight.

" **OUCH!"**

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.

Next moment, Fred Weasley had chucked his Beater's Club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

"That will do!" Shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between them as Katie retrieved Fred's club, "Penalty to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"

"Come off it Miss!" Fred protested, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.

" **Come on Alicia!"** Lee yelled into the silence that had descended on the crowd, **"YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY – ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"**

Harry turned his Firebolt around sharply, to watch Flint, whose nose was still bleeding freely, fly forwards to take the Slytherin penalty. Wood, however, was in front of the Gryffindor Goalposts, his jaw clenched.

" **Course Wood's an excellent Keeper, very hard to pass… very difficult indeed… YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"**

Harry turned back to making sure Draco didn't catch the Snitch until Gryffindor was at least fifty points up, while listening to the commentary.

" **Gryffindor in possession, no Slytherin, no Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the pitch… THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"**

Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had grabbed her head instead of the Quaffle. Katie had cart wheeled in the air, but managed to stay on, however she'd dropped the Quaffle.

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Boll and Montague and started shouting at them. A minute later, Katie had put the penalty past the Slytherin Keeper.

" **THIRTY – ZERO! TAKE THAT YOU DIRTY CHEATING…"**

" **Jordan, if you can't tell it in an unbiased way…"**

" **Just telling it like it is, Professor."**

Harry smiled, but kept his attention on the game… he felt a jolt of excitement, he'd seen the Snitch, glittering at the foot of one of the Gryffindor goalposts, but he couldn't catch it yet, he had to stop Draco from seeing it… He pulled his broom around and shot towards the Slytherin end, it worked, as Draco went haring after him, clearly thinking Harry had seen the Snitch there…

WHOOSH

One of the Bludger came streaking past Harry, hit by the other Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Next moment…

WHOOSH

The other Bludger grazed Harry's elbow, Bole was closing in.

Harry turned his Firebolt upwards at the last second and the two Beaters collided with a crunch.

" **Haha!"** Lee Jordan yelled, **"Too bad, boys! You'll have to get up earlier then that to beat a Firebolt. And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle… Flint alongside her… poke him in the eye, Angelina! It was a joke Professor, it was a joke… oh no… Flint in possession… Flint flying towards the Gryffindor goalposts…"**

Harry could see Katie streaking after him but it was obvious she wouldn't catch up.

" **Come on now Wood! Save!"**

But Flint scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical microphone away from him.

" **Sorry Professor, Sorry! It won't happen again! So Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession."**

It was turning into the dirtiest match Harry had ever played in. Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were resorting to any means possible to get the Quaffle; Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger. George elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams' penalties, Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty – ten to Gryffindor.

The Snitch had disappeared again; Malfoy was still keeping close to Harry as he soared over the match, looking around for it. Once Gryffindor were fifty points ahead…

Katie scored, fifty – ten, Fred and George were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherin team, were thinking about revenge. Derrick and Bole took advantage for their absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded.

Madam Hooch was beside herself, "YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" She shrieked at Derrick and Boll, "GRYFFINDOR PENATLY!"

And Angelina scored, sixty – ten, moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal, seventy - ten.

In response Slytherin took possession of the Quaffle, and made it seventy – twenty

" **Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on Angelina, come on!"** Harry looked around, every single Slytherin player except for Draco, was streaking up the pitch towards Angelina, they were going to block her…

Harry wheeled the Firebolt around, bent so low he was lying flat along the handle, and kicked it forwards. Like a bullet, he shot towards the Slytherins.

"AHHHHH!"

They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed towards them; Angelina's way was clear.

" **SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES!"** Harry however wasn't paying attention, he'd turned around and seen something that made his heart stand still, Draco, with a triumphant look on his face, was diving towards a tiny golden glimmer a few feet above the grass… the Snitch.

Harry urged the Firebolt downwards, but Draco was miles ahead, "Go, go, go!" Harry urged his broom, they were gaining on Draco. Harry had to flatten himself against the handle to avoid the Bludger hit in his direction. He managed to get level with Draco, and knocked his hand out of the way and…

" **YES!"**

He pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Harry soared above the crowd, an odd ringing in his ears. The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating its wings beat hopelessly against his fingers.

Then Wood was speeding towards him, half blinded by tears, seized Harry around the neck, and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder. Harry felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them, then Angelina, Alicia and Katie's voices, "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!"

Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor Team sank to earth, where Danni was waiting, beaming, the crimson decked supporters flooded the pitch and Harry and the rest of the team were hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd. Hagrid was jumping up and down and cheering with the rest, Professor McGonagall was sobbing even harder then Wood, and was wiping her eyes on a Gryffindor flag, and the rest of the gang were fighting their way through the crowd.

If only there had been a Dementor around, Harry thought as Wood passed him the Cup, he was certain he could've produced the world's best Patronus.


	15. Fair Thee Well

Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating: as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry and all anyone felt like doing was strolling into the grounds and flopping down onto the grass was several pints of iced pumpkin juice. Perhaps having a casual game of Gobstones or a friendly (or not so friendly) game of Wizards Duel Monsters or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the lake.

But they couldn't. The exams were creeping up on them and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while the summer breezes blew in through the open windows and practically begged them to go outside.

Even the Weasley twins were caught working, they had their O.W.L's (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) coming up and they had their heads in the books for the first time in the gang's memory. Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic and with his N.E.W.T's (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests) coming up, he was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave severe punishments to anyone who he caught disturbing the quiet in the Common Room in the evenings. In fact the only one more on edge then Percy was Hermione.

Kari and Ombre were helping her as much as they could, and the rest of the gang had given up on asking her how she got to all her classes, but Ron and Harry couldn't restrain themselves when they saw her exam timetable. The first column read…

MONDAY:

9:00 am Arithmancy

9:00 am Transfiguration

LUNCH

1:00 pm Charms

1:00 pm Ancient Runes

"Hermione?" Ron asked cautiously, well aware that Hermione was liable to explode when disturbed, "Are you sure you've copied these down right?"

"Yes." Hermione snapped and then spent the next five minutes rummaging through the notes she'd made to find a text book.

Yami and Joey were sat at a table while Yugi perched, with his notes, on the window ledge, the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck. Yugi had finally taken it back in exchange for a promise from Yami, that he wouldn't cling so tightly to his hikari as long as Yugi agreed not to do anything as stupid as running into the Forbidden Forest without telling him.

So far both had stuck to their end of the bargain, and added to this was that Yami and Mahado had begun to teach him how to control both Yugi's Magic and the Shadows since it was so determined to escape their grip at the slightest thing.

Because they were working so closely together again, their partnership was finally beginning to get back to how it had been.

Bakura Malfoy had been lording it over them after passing his level three Beast Care and Taming, and Hagrid was so proud that one of his students had passed the course that he was allowing Bakura to tend to Buckbeak over the summer and to assist him in classes.

This meant that most of the gang were rather relieved that exams were coming up and lessons were ending. The only person that couldn't get that excited about the end of the year was Harry, even Hermione was relieved that the Summer Holidays would soon be here.

Bakura still hadn't forgiven Yami for having the audacity to be chosen by one of the Pilot Cat Kittens, though Kiyoshi, Bastet and Crookshanks had taken to the kitten instantly, becoming protective of but friendly with the little one, who Yami had named Kana, having felt that he couldn't keep calling the sacred animal by the name of Worm, who was now starting to sprout feathers and climb walls.

All in all, with no imminent threats to the gang, bar the usual, and no sign of Sirius Black, Exam week passed hectically, but with no major speed bumps, other then the last exam for most of the group, Divination.

There was a minor speed bump on Thursday night, the last night to get any research done, when Joey and Kari decided that if they studied any more then their head was going to explode and settled down for a game of Duel Monsters in the boy's dorms.

That would have been fine, had Joey not had a run in with Bakura earlier in the day and when he cast apparaître, practically shouting the spell, the deck responded by summoning most of the Monsters in his deck, at about a half to three quarter size, most of which didn't fit in the room properly, causing one of them, Joey wasn't sure which to tumble down the stairs.

"Return to your cards!" Joey yelped, naming all the monsters in sight. The two winced as they heard crashes and yelling from downstairs.

"How much trouble are we in?" Kari asked as Percy and Yami came upstairs.

Yami was followed by Baby Dragon.

"I'm sorry, but I have no choice but to remove House Points and inform Professor McGonagall, since your little Dragon broke the table he crashed into and disturbed the entire Common Room with its noise." Joey and Kari looked at each other and grimaced, "Five points each to be taken."

Percy then stalked back downstairs.

"Return to the deck." Joey sighed and pointed his wand at the dragon, who gave him a dirty look and vanished. "Don't say it." Joey growled at Yami, who looked amused and intrigued.

"I wasn't going to say anything, I was just wondering what you were doing to manage that stunt." Yami said thoughtfully, and then laughed. "And Yugi wants to know too."

* * *

Harry and Ron were the last for the Divination Exam, and were longing to join their friends at the lakeside. Ron went first, and came down twenty minutes later, warning Harry that he hadn't seen anything and that he did not think Professor Trelawney had believed what he'd made up.

Harry went up last and the sickly scent of the fire made Harry cough as he joined Professor Trelawney at the table, on which a large crystal ball stood. "Good day my dear," She said softly, "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb… take your time now… then tell me what you see."

Harry stared at it, but nothing but fog stared back.

"Well?" Trelawney prompted delicately, "What do you see?"

"Err," Harry started, "A dark shape…"

"What does it resemble?" The Professor asked, "Think now…"

Harry cast his mind around and it landed on Yugi and his training at the hands of Mahado and Yami.

"A Pharaoh."

"Really…" Trelawney looked intrigued, "What about him?"

Harry gulped, remembering that the gang didn't know how much the teachers knew about the powers of the items, "He seems to be wielding some kind of powers."

"Magic?"

"I'm not sure…" Harry said, "He's fighting someone, an old enemy."

"And what does this enemy look like?"

"A man and a monster of some kind." Harry made up on the spot. "I don't know what it is."

"Who's winning?"

"I think it's about even." Harry's eyes widened as for a spilt second the fog in the crystal ball looked like it formed the Eye symbol from the millennium items and then it was gone as soon as it appeared. "It's gone." Harry murmured.

"That's a shame dear, we'll leave it there, I'm sure you did your best while the vision was there."

Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag and turned to go, when a loud, harsh voice spoke from behind him.

" **It will happen tonight."**

Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth was sagging.

"S…Sorry?" Asked Harry.

" **The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His disloyal servant, betrayed by his sons, betrayed by his cohort, will set out tonight. Tonight… before midnight… the servant… will set out… to rejoin… his master."**

* * *

"Yugi."

The boy stopped in the corridor, having come inside to grab his, Yami and Joey's Duel Disks, Kari's Apparaître spell was good, but it wasn't the same as having a Duel Disk on one arm and a hand of cards in the other hand. He let Mahado catch up to him, though he was well aware that the Duel Monster could easily have outpaced him if he had wished. "What's wrong?"

"I need to ask a favour of you."

"I'll help in anyway I can, you know that." Yugi said, "What do you need?"

"I need you to utilise some of your training."

Yugi looked at Mahado carefully. "Which part?"

"The part where we taught you how to release people trapped within the Shadow Realm. The Pharaoh won't do it, we can't ask Ryou, we won't ask Bakura, Ombre can't do it and Kari, while strong, isn't able to control the Shadows that well."

Yugi nodded. "I should tell Yami though."

"Explain that I have you in training and that I will explain everything afterwards, the Pharaoh, while understanding in most things, still has that irrepressible hatred for the Dementors that would have him try and stop you."

"I know they need to be let out, or things will get worse." Yugi agreed, surprising Mahado, who had expected to have a larger argument out of Yugi, "Give me a second."

Mahado watched as the Little Pharaoh passed Mahado's message on, his eyes going blank. Then the boy's eyes cleared and he nodded.

' _Mahado, don't push him to hard.'_ Yami told the Dark Magician directly.

Mahado didn't reply.

"Where do I need to go?" Yugi asked.

Mahado lead him up to the seventh floor and an empty classroom, where all the Duel Monsters had gathered, even Kisara.

They looked at Mahado sharply as he entered first, breathing sighs of relief as Yugi walked in afterwards. "Yugi has agreed to help us."

"You need to be in the centre of the group." Mana told the boy, who took of his de-ageing charm and with a flash of light, went from the child who was still the Little Pharaoh and became the young adult that resembled the Pharaoh in so many ways. However unlike the Pharaoh, Yugi's power was in no way overt, although even Kisara would not have challenged him alone.

Mahado and Mana watched as he placed his wand on the table by the door and took his place in the centre and Dark Necrofear took its place. Everything had to go perfectly, and Mahado had waited until he was certain Yugi could handle what he was asking of him before he had approached the young man. Yugi was older, now, than the Pharaoh had been when he'd sealed the Shadow Realm, and as such should have been trained a lot earlier, but... those where thoughts for a not so turbulent a moment.

"Ready?" Yugi asked, a little nervous but willing to attempt what Mahado had asked of him.

The Duel Monsters nodded and Mana grinned nervously. They all knew the effects of Dementors, and knew that they might have to fight them once they were released.

If necessary, they were ready.

Mahado watched in trepidation as Yugi closed his eyes and called upon the powers of the Shadows.

He'd been worried about letting Yugi do this, unsure that he was ready.

But something had told him to ask, and now, watching as Yugi tapped deep into the magic, Mahado could have been excused for mistaking the Young Pharaoh for the Pharaoh of Egypt.

Gone was the Little Pharaoh from when Yugi had been in training, the Young Pharaoh had never resembled his Egyptian counterpart more then he did now as the magic swirled around him, causing his Gryffindor Hogwarts Robes to swirl around him in the wind forming, at his temples, the light began to form into a crown, not that dissimilar to the one the archaeologists had returned to the Pharaohs at Christmas.

The Shadow Magic had worked out that a destined wielder was being trained and had finally accepted Yugi; unlocking the last of the power he was destined to wield, at the moment he needed it most.

Yugi's eyes snapped open, the violet orbs sharp, determined and knowing as Yugi released the bindings of the Dementors the Egyptian Pharaoh had sent to the Shadow Realm so many months ago, bringing them back to the human world.

Nobody liked the creatures, but leaving them in the Shadow Realm would have proved to be too dangerous and Yugi's own light magic created a shield against the Dementors' powers, encasing them in a prison of radiance in the room. His eyes swept around to Mahado, who nodded, and then Yugi attempted to close the door he'd opened.

The Young Pharaoh froze halfway through and for a second, the determination in his eyes gave way to surprise.

The Shadows wanted out for itself as much as they had wanted the Dementors out, and were now pushing against the teen's power, attempting to rip through the door and into the world the Dementors had been released into.

The Duel Monsters watched in growing horror as they realised that as strong as the Young Pharaoh had become, he would not be able to stop the tide of magic.

 _Yugi don…!_ Boh started to say but stopped at a look from Mahado.

"If he loses his concentration now, we're all lost."

The wand Yugi had laid on the table began to glow, growing brighter the longer Yugi struggled with the darkness and finally, as the Young Pharaoh gave everything he had to shut the door to the Shadow Realm, the light grew overbearing, merging with the shadows growing around the teenager in the centre of the room and finally overwhelming all in the room.

Mahado had enough time to view the crown of light fading and Yugi falling, before something dragged him away. _Please, Yugi, be alright._

* * *

All the Duellists at Hogwarts froze as they felt their links to the monsters almost completely vanish.

Yami's head shot towards a room, where light was streaming out of a window, and bolted to his feet, Ombre, Kari and Joey right behind him as he raced inside and up the stairs to the seventh floor, working out which room the light came from, from the streams of light under one of the doors.

Yami slammed it open and had to shield his eyes from the light, feeling a wave of coldness wash over him temporarily before disappearing.

As the light finally died down, Yami watched in horror as Yugi, crown fading, fell forward as if in slow motion, and the last of the Duel Monsters, Mahado included, vanished.

 _Please, Yugi,_ Yami heard Mahado's last mental plea, _be alright._

Yami caught Yugi and examined every inch of him finally taking the Millennium Puzzle in hand and entering Yugi's Soul Room.

It had changed. While it was still full of Yugi's toys and games, there was one wall that showed an Egyptian style painting of a coronation. Yami looked from it, to the young adult sleeping on the most luxurious bed Yami had ever dreamed of.

The painting showed the shadows bowing to Yugi, who was wearing a crown of light; the crown of the heir.

But Yami could sense the painting wasn't something Yugi had brought into his soul room himself, and as such had no idea where it had come from…

Although he did have several thoughts as to what it meant…

* * *

"Bakura, I need to speak to you privately."

Bakura Malfoy looked up from his purring book, and met the grey eyes of his adopted brother.

"Why?"

Draco glanced around; the dormitory was empty except for the two boys. "It is about my Father."

Bakura smiled slyly, and with a wave of his hand the small noises of outside was completely cut off. "Well?"

Draco bundled up his courage, but wouldn't meet Bakura's eyes as he handed over a piece of parchment.

Bakura scanned the letter and his grin deepened. "And what do you think we should do about this, brother?"

"A trap is no longer a trap if you walk into it knowingly." Draco replied, his voice unsteady and low.

"And what of being a proper Malfoy?"

Draco snorted, "It took my father a year to break out of prison, he's a fool; he only had two years left of his sentence to serve, and he should never have got caught in the first place. At least you are teaching me how not to get caught instead of relying on friends in high places and a large amount of bribes."

"But he is still your Father."

"Yes, but he betrayed us, betrayed the family, disgraced the family name, if I help him it will be more of the same incompetence."

"Draco…"

"And I'm scared of you."

Bakura blinked, surprised that that reason had made it onto the list, few people ever actually admitted to being afraid of him.

"So what do you think we should do with your Father?"

* * *

The gang were in the hospital wing again.

"I should assign you lot permanent beds." Madam Pomfrey wasn't joking, as she checked Yugi over with a number of spells. "He's fine, just over strained his magic and exhausted. Nothing a few hours sleep can't cure." Yami breathed a sigh of relief. "I must ask if there's been anymore Shadow Games recently, because if so I'm assuming Mr Muto isn't the only one that will be brought in today."

It was Joey that answered, "No, Yugi was training with the Duel Monsters and something happened and we found Yugi like this and the Duel Monsters gone."

Madam Pomfrey tutted and walked off as a purple eyes silver dragon swooped in the window, leaving a note for the group before taking off again. It seemed the Dragons born in the world were the only ones who hadn't vanished.

Joey looked at it and then passed it to Yami, "It's for you."

**_To the Pharaoh._ **

**_If you're reading this, then there's a possibility something has gone wrong and I am unable to explain this to you in person._ **

**_Do not blame Yugi for the events that have transpired, it was I that asked him to do what he did._ **

**_He was just doing what you would not._ **

**_The Dementors are no longer in the Shadow Realm, where they are is another matter as I will have no idea, but that should make it as safe as it can be for you to finish Yugi's training, without the fear of the Shadows attempting to consume us all._ **

**_Make sure you do continue his training, for his sake and for yours._ **

**_Be safe,_ **

**_Mahado_ **

It was signed by the Dark Magician and Yami passed it around. "Yugi let them out to help us and the Duel Monsters." Yami whispered. "I just wish I knew what has happened to our monsters." He turned to look at the others, who were just as shocked as he was. "We're supposed to be meeting with Hagrid for tea." Yami said, his voice taking on some form of normality, "You guys should go, I'll stay with Yugi."

Joey shook his head, and the girls looked like they were going to protest but at that moment Madam Pomfrey ushered Harry, Ron, Hermione, Joey, Kari and Ombre out the door.

They looked at each other and headed down to the entrance hall, Joey, Kari and Ombre barely saying anything. "I wonder what went wrong." Ron said quietly as they walked down to Hagrid's Hut.

"I don't know." Hermione replied, her voice just as quiet.

Silence fell again as they reached Hagrid's hut. He let them in quickly and shut the door behind them just as quickly. "Where are Yugi and Yami?"

"Yugi's in the hospital wing. He was… studying too hard and the sleep finally caught up with him." Kari said, "Yami stayed with him."

"I surprised you're not in there with him." Hagrid said to Hermione, "The amount of work you did for the exams." He sighed, "I shouldn't have asked you down here but I found someone that belongs to yer, Ron."

Hagrid picked up a cage and passed it to Ron. Everyone stared at it. "That's… Scabbers!" Ron opened the cage door and took the rat out.

"Don't worry." Ron said as Scabbers tried to escape, "There's no cats here."

Joey was looking out the window, at this time of day, he would have been able to see Tobias flying around… except… "Ummm, is there a reason the Minister for Magic is coming down here?"

"What?" Kari yelped, looking out the window. "Oh no."

"Quickly, go out the back door!" Hagrid let them out and shut the door just in time for the front door to be knocked on.

"Ah Hagrid, I heard something about Dragons at Hogwarts." They could hear Cornelius Fudge say, "My men and I are conducting an investigation, may I come in?"


	16. Cat, Rat, Duel Monster and Dog

Kari and Ombre looked at each other and then at the group, "We should be glad the Duel Monsters are missing, but how does Fudge know about the dragons?"

"Shush!" Joey hissed, as they hid in the trees near Hagrid's hut. "Students talk, its common knowledge there's dragons guarding the school now."

"And Kisara and Tobias's children aren't registered in any Ministry records…" Kari paled, "They have to be warned!"

"Scabbers!" Ron hissed as the rat struggled, then his eyes widened and Hermione and Kari groaned, of all the times for the cats to show up.

"No, Crookshanks, Bastet, Kiyoshe go away." Hermione hissed.

"Scabbers! No!" The rat escaped Ron's clutches and ran for it, the cats in hot pursuit.

Ron ran after Scabbers and the cats before anyone could say anything.

Joey snarled something that the translation spell they were under refused to translate, "Kari, Ombre, you warn the dragons, we'll go get Ron."

The girls nodded, well aware that if any of the semi-Duel Monster Dragons were caught by Fudge then the transfer students, Professor Dumbledore and anyone else caught up in keeping the dragons quiet would be in a lot of trouble. "Be careful." Kari murmured, and shot off, Ombre in tow, staying out of the view of Hagrid's windows.

Harry, Hermione and Joey raced after Ron, easily hearing where he was from all the commotion he was making. "Get away from him… get away… Scabbers, come here…" There were three loud thuds, "Gotcha… get off you stinking cats!" Harry and Hermione almost fell over Ron, and Joey only didn't because he caught himself in time.

"Ron, we have to go back, we can't stay out in the grounds, not with Fudge around." Joey growled.

But before they could start their retreat, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws. Something was bounding towards them out of the dark… an enormous, pale eyed, jet black dog.

Joey, used to having to react to physical threats quickly, somehow managed to put himself between the leaping dog and Harry, the huge beast knocking him over backwards and into the black haired boy, sending them both sprawling.

The force of its leap interrupted by the sudden appearance of a Joey-in-the-way, the dog had rolled off the boy and as Joey got to his feet quickly, the dog skidded around for a new attack.

Joey moved again attempting to grab the dog, but in doing so, got too far away as it launched a second attack at Harry who was trying to stand up.

Ron pushed Harry aside, and the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged at it and seized a handful of the coarse fur but it pulled free and was dragging Ron away as easily as if he was a rag doll.

Harry heard Joey yelp and hit the ground, and then, out of nowhere, something hit Harry so hard across the face that he was knocked off of his feet again.

"Lumos!" Joey snapped as Hermione shrieked in pain and fell too.

Harry cast the same spell, blinking blood out of his eyes.

The light from their wands showed the trunk of a thick tree. They chased Scabbers into the shadows of the Whomping Willow and its branches were whipping backwards and forwards, in an attempt to stop them getting nearer.

And at its base the dog was dragging Ron into a large gap in the roots. Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight.

"Apparaître!" Joey snapped wincing against the pain in his arm. Harry was surprised at the size of the Duel Monster that appeared, "Baby Dragon…" Joey froze mid command, as a sickening crack cut the air like a gun-shot… Ron's leg had broken and the next second Ron's legs had vanished from sight.

"Baby Dragon, follow them!" Joey snapped. The little dragonet ducked under the branches and vanished into the hole.

"We have to go for help!" Hermione cried. She was bleeding too; the willow had cut her shoulder.

"There's no time." Joey growled.

"Joey's right, that thing's big enough to eat him!"

Joey reached for another card, but was interrupted as Crookshanks darted forwards and placed his front paws on a knot on the trunk.

"How?" Joey demanded of Hermione.

"Crookshanks is friends with that dog, I've seen them together." Harry answered for her.

"I'll go first." Joey said, "But keep your wand out, Harry." Harry nodded and they entered the gap, led, not by Joey, but by Crookshanks who'd dived into gap before them.

"I didn't know you could summon Monsters like that." Hermione whispered as they made their way along the corridor after using Lumos herself.

Joey didn't answer for a second, and Hermione wondered if something had happened, then the young man sighed, "Apparaître can be used more then one way, the monsters summoned this way aren't able to do more then simple commands, and they're not free willed like the monsters that came here during the tournament the year before last, but…" Harry saw Joey shrug in the dim light.

The tunnel began to rise and twist, Crookshanks vanished and Harry could see light round the corner. "Stay close." Joey murmured. Harry and Hermione nodded, though Joey couldn't see them, and followed the man out of the tunnel.

* * *

The castle was unusually busy tonight, even considering exams had finally ended and those of a prankster nature were doing their best to make up for lost time.

The teachers were a bit more lax about curfew after the exams, and only Snape and Flinch was as harsh as usual to the ones they caught.

Then again, Bakura the thief king never had any trouble sneaking about the castle, between dark corridors, more than a hundred broom closets, hundreds of unused rooms, high ceilings with easy handholds, and a continuous awareness of where the painting could see, lets just say that Bakura had never been caught.

Draco on the other hand was another matter entirely. Even when he was trying to be silent and creep along he stuck out like a sore thumb. Or he did to Bakura's critical eye.

It didn't take the two boys long to reach Hufflepuff territory, the Slytherins weren't the only ones based in the dungeons.

It took even less time for Bakura to get in 'Badger's Den'.

"Ryou, fancy a little trip into the forest?" Bakura asked with a grin when he had cornered Ryou.

"Not really." Ryou said, slowly backing away. It wasn't enough that Bakura had to keep catching him in the corridors, now he was getting into the dormitories?

"Come on, I'm bored, you don't like it when I get bored, do you?" Apparently Bakura watched movies, who knew?

Ryou sighed. While his main strategy of stay away from Bakura worked most of the time, out of sight really had meant out of mind last year, it was no longer working, meaning the only strategy Ryou had to fall back on was keep the dangerously crazy person happy.

"Why do we want to go into the Forbidden Forest?"

"Because there's an angry escaped prisoner who wants me dead out there, and I want you to be bait so I can play with him."

Ryou paled by several shades as he tried to wrap his mind around, 'wants me dead' (which was rather too easy for his comfort), 'bait' (which if he was honest with himself, which was what Bakura normally used him for) and 'play' (he really didn't want to think about what Bakura meant by 'play').

The time it took him to think through that sentence was more than enough for Bakura to start dragging him out of Badger's Den, through the back exit.

Why did Ryou have a feeling that whatever was going to happen in the forest was going to add to his nightmares?

* * *

Professor Remus Lupin was frantic as he raced down the stairs into the Entrance Hall.

The Marauder's Map was never wrong but it couldn't possibly be right this time.

Two Gryffindor girls were just on their way out the Main door when he overheard their conversation.

"Of all the times for Yugi to be in the Hospital Wing…" The taller one growled.

"We warned the Dragons…" The shorter said, "They're in hiding, which means we can't get their help in finding them and besides Yugi has to rest, whatever went wrong drained a lot from him."

"Professor?" Ombre looked at the man as he went to pass them. "Are you alright?"

Kari took a closer look at their panicked teacher and twigged, "Professor…" She looked around; there was no one there, "Have you taken your potion?"

Lupin froze and turned to look at the two girls properly. Real concern was on both their faces.

"What do you…?"

"We know, Professor. Blame Snape's essay and two bright Gryffindors." Ombre said, "Tonight's a full moon, have you taken your Wolfsbane?"

"You know that too?"

"When Kari and Hermione research things, they do it properly." Ombre said.

Lupin nearly swore; he'd been so distracted that he hadn't, in fact he'd left without even shutting off the Marauder's Map. He looked at the two girls, wondering what to do about a yami and hikari who knew his secret, whose friends were down in the Shrieking Shack with Sirius Black and…

"I need you both to get Professor Dumbledore immediately and ask him to meet me here." Lupin decided. "Thank you for reminding me." Kari shot off in the direction of the Headmaster's rooms, but Ombre chased Lupin for a moment. "Ombre!" Lupin snapped.

"Is this about Hermione and the others?" Ombre asked as they reached Lupin's room.

Lupin stared at her.

"Professor?" Ombre asked as Lupin pointed his wand at the map.

"Mischief Managed." Lupin croaked. Snape hadn't come with the potion yet, he'd have to wait a bit longer… did he have a bit longer? "Yes, Ombre, it does." Ombre swore but Lupin didn't call her on it. "What happened to Yugi?" Lupin asked, trying to come up with something, anything to distract him from the fact that something bad could be happening in the Shrieking Shack, but he didn't dare leave until Snape had provided the Wolfsbane Potion.

"Yugi was taking a lesson in his specialised type of magic…"

"Shadow Magic?"

"Partly." Ombre conceded, "But something happened that wasn't expected and Yugi used too much of his power and passed out."

"Is he alright?" Lupin frowned, he'd heard from Dumbledore how dangerous their magic could be when he'd been warned about the twins.

"He just needs rest. The Duel Monsters have vanished though." Ombre frowned, then decided to change the subject, "Professor, how did you know which Muto twin was which on the first day? Nobody gets them right first time."

"Their scents are slightly different." Lupin said with a small smile, "And I worked out which scent belonged to who on the train." Ombre just smiled, though it was a worried one as Snape came into the room. He gave Ombre a sour look and walked over to Lupin, putting the potion on the table. "Make sure you drink all of it Lupin."

The Professor nodded and Snape exited the room.

"Oversized bat." Ombre murmured under her breath.

Lupin had to hide a smile as he drank the potion, grimacing at the flavour.

Once it was all gone, Lupin pocketed the Marauder's Map and a couple of other supplies and then turned to Ombre. "I'm telling you and your hikari to return to the Gryffindor Common Room."

"If our friends are in trouble…" Ombre started.

"Ombre, as your Professor, I'm telling you to go back to your common room. As someone who is responsible for your safety, I'm begging you to go back to your Common Room. Things are going to be difficult enough without having extra people to worry about." Lupin told her as they raced back down the stairs.

Ombre hesitated.

"I won't let anything happen to your friends, I promise."

"Alright." Ombre conceded as they met Kari in the Entrance Hall.

"Professor Lupin, he wasn't in his office." Kari said worriedly.

"Alright, you both head back to your Common Room, I'll go down on my own." Lupin headed for the door and looked over his shoulder, "Ombre?"

The Princess nodded. "Kari let's go."

"But…?"

"We have to trust the Professor."

"Alright." Kari didn't like it but nodded as the Professor headed outside. "Why aren't we following him?" She demanded as they headed upstairs.

"I promised Lupin we wouldn't." Ombre said quietly. "He has enough to worry about without us going too."

"But…" Kari growled.

"No buts."

* * *

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, and with a huge effort broke free of Hermione and Ron's restraint and dodged around Joey, lunging forwards.

He had forgotten about magic, he had forgotten that he short and skinny and thirteen, whereas Black was a tall, fully grown man. All Harry knew was that he wanted to hurt Black as badly as he could and that he didn't care how much he got hurt return.

Perhaps it was the shock of Harry doing something so stupid, that Black didn't raise the wands in time. One of Harry's hands fastened over Black's wasted wrist, forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of Harry's other hand collided with the side of Black's head and they fell, backwards into the wall…

Hermione was screaming, Ron was yelling, Joey was moving; there was a blinding light that missed Harry's face by mere inches; Harry felt the shrunken arms under his fingers twisting madly, but he clung on, his other hand punching every free part of Black it could find.

But Black's free hand had found Harry's throat… "No." He hissed, "I've waited too long…"

The finger's tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew.

Then Joey's foot swung out of nowhere. Black let go of Harry with a grunt of pain. Ron had thrown himself on Black's wand hand and Harry heard a faint clatter. He fought free of the tangle of bodies and Harry saw his wand rolling across the floor; he threw himself towards it but… "ARGH!"

Crookshanks had joined the fray, both sets of claws dug into Harry's arm. Harry threw him off, but the cat leapt for the wands.

"No, you don't!" Joey snapped; scooping up all four wands before Crookshanks could get to them. "Harry, Hermione, Ron!" He chucked the wands to their rightful owners. Ron had crawled back to the four poster bed and was now collapsed onto it, panting, his face now tinged with green, both hands clutching his broken leg.

"Get out of the way." Harry snapped.

Hermione moved and Joey found himself looking through his deck urgently for a certain card, chucking it to Ron, he pointed his wand at it. "Apparaître, Dian Kento the Cure Master."

It didn't heal Ron's leg but it helped ease the pain and some of the greenness left Ron's face. "Knew I had one in there for a reason." Joey said seriously then turned back to the scene in hand.

Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Harry walking nearer, his wand pointing straight at Black's heart.

"Going to kill me Harry?" Black whispered.

Harry stopped right above him, his wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking down at him. A livid bruise was rising around Black's left eye and his nose was bleeding.

"You killed my parents." Harry said, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand quite steady.

Black stared up at him out of those shrunken eyes. "I don't deny it." He said very quietly, "But if you knew the full story…"

"The full story?" Harry repeated a furious pounding in his ears. "You sold them to Voldemort, that's all I need to know!"

"You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't… you don't understand…"

"Harry, you need to calm down." Joey said, but neither Harry nor Black seemed to be listening to him.

"I understand a lot better then you think." Said Harry and his voice shook more then ever. "You never heard her did you? My mum, trying to stop Voldemort killing me… and you did that… you did it…"

Before either of them could say another word, something leapt onto Black's chest and settled himself there, right over Black's heart. Black blinked and looked at the cat.

"Get off." He murmured, trying to push the cat off. But Crookshanks just dug his claws in deeper.

Harry stared at them, so what if he had to kill the cat too? It was in league with Black… if it was prepared to die, trying to save it, that only proved Black cared more about the cat then he did his parents. Harry raised his wand.

And found his arm caught by someone he'd thought was a friend. "Joey?" Harry half gasped, half snapped.

"Don't do something you'll regret." Joey said, if Harry had been thinking rationally, he would have realised he'd never seen Joey looking so serious, even when their friends had been in the hospital wing.

"He killed my parents."

"I know."

The two boys stared at each other.

"Harry, killing him won't bring them back."

"Joey…" Harry growled.

Black leapt up.

But he didn't go for Harry.

He went for Ron.

Joey had to let go of Harry to go for Black. Harry cast a spell in Black's direction. Black avoided it and it hit the wall, leaving a black mark. In the half a second before anyone reacted to anything else Joey yelled, "Apparaître." Summoning Gearfried the Iron Knight, Garoozis and Flame Swordsman. "Protect Ron, protect Harry, and restrain Black." He ordered, pointing to each in turn. "Harry, I swear I will tell Garoozis to restrain you too if you don't calm down."

Hermione, Harry and Ron, even in the serious situation, gawked at him.

"Start talking." Joey pointed at Black.

Black stared at him, figuring it was better not to fight with the warrior that the blonde had made appear out of nowhere, then to have one of them try to kill him again.

"I as good as killed Harry's parents." Black started, then paused. "How much do you know?"

Harry looked at the lizard warrior thing that was regarding him carefully then swallowed his anger and answered. "That you were my parent's secret keeper and betrayed them to Voldemort." Harry bit out, unable to comprehend why Joey was determined to get Black's story out.

"I was supposed to be their Secret Keeper." Black said slowly. "I convinced them to change at the last minute."

"Why?" Hermione couldn't help asking now things had calmed down slightly.

"Because I was the obvious choice and if they swapped then Voldemort would come after me and not their real Secret Keeper."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Harry snapped, then remembered Garoozis and held himself in check, "You could be lying out of your teeth."

"If you let me have that rat, I can show you." Black smirked.

Joey shook his head. "No. I'm not giving you a chance to hex us."

"Then you do it." Black said. "The rat is an Animagus."

Joey looked at Ron.

"Scabbers has been in our family for years, he's just a rat!" Ron protested.

"Aren't you surprised he's lived so long?" Black asked then looked at Joey. "The spell is complex, you might need my help."

Joey frowned, thinking quickly. Nothing would surprise him anymore. "First tell us who you think Scabbers is."

"Pettigrew." Black growled, "The real traitor."

"You killed Pettigrew!" Harry shouted, stepping forward ready to attack again.

"Garoozis." Joey snapped.

The crocodile warrior monster grabbed Harry, stopping him from going anywhere.

"Pettigrew cut of his own finger and fled as a rat!" Black snapped back, "He's the one that blew up all those Muggles; he's the one that betrayed your parents to Voldemort!"

Joey made up his mind. "Ron, give me the rat."

"You're not serious!" Harry yelled at him.

"Black's no threat while Flame Swordsman has him restrained." Joey said, "The Dementors are probably patrolling now the Duel Monsters have disappeared, and Minister Fudge is on school grounds, if Scabbers is a rat, we hand Black to them. If the rat is Pettigrew, we hand Pettigrew to Fudge."

Harry glared, but Hermione nodded.

"Will this hurt Scabbers?"

"Not if he's a real rat." Black said with a small smile on his face.

"Joey, are you…?" Hermione asked.

Joey nodded and Ron handed over Scabbers.

Joey used Petirificus Totalus on it to stop it escaping, and then walked over to Black. "I'm giving you my wand," Joey said, "But remember that Flame Swordsman is right behind you. If you attack anyone, I will not take the blame for his reaction."

Black nodded and Joey handed over his wand.

Black looked like he wanted to do something else for a minute, and then pointed the wand at the rat and a flash of blue white light shot from the end of the wand.

The full body bind vanished, and the small form twisted madly. Ron yelled and Joey took his wand back as Scabbers turned from a rat, into a man.

A short, ratty looking man, with thin hair and a big bald patch, with the appearance of someone who's lost a lot of weight in a short time.

Harry saw his eyes dart to the door and back to Black.

Joey didn't miss this either.

"Apparaître." Alligator Sword appeared and Pettigrew flinched at Joey's order, which put it between the ex-rat and the door.

"That's… that's…" Ron stared.

Black growled as Pettigrew squeaked, "S…Sirius…"

Black looked from Joey to Pettigrew and snarled, "You traitor." He snarled at the man, "How could you have done that to Lily and James?"

"Me? Me?" The man squeaked, "I'm not the one who killed all those Muggles…"

"If you weren't a murderer, why didn't you come out of hiding when you heard Black was caught?" Joey asked with a look of distaste on his face.

"I knew he'd escape that's why!" Pettigrew squeaked, "I knew it!"

"How, when no one's ever done it before?" Black snarled. Flame Swordsman had to tighten its grip to keep a hold on the man.

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named must have taught you tricks!"

Black let out a terrible laugh, "Voldemort, ha, teach me tricks?" Black snorted in disbelief. Pettigrew winced, "What scared to hear your Master's name?"

Pettigrew didn't answer.

"I heard things in Azkaban. His lot aren't happy with you."

"If they aren't happy with me, it's because I put their best spy in Azkaban!"

Black nearly broke free of the Warrior's grip and Joey nearly summoned another monster to help. "How dare you?" Black sounded like the dog he had been, "I would never betray my friends like you did! I should have known it was you. You always did like big friends that could protect you!"

Joey found a hatred of Pettigrew growing as the man tried to defend himself.

"Excuse me." The timid voice that interrupted made everyone turn to its owner, "Ummm, Mr Black."

Black looked taken aback to be referred to as Mr Black and nodded.

"Scabbers… I mean Pettigrew has been sleeping in the boy's dorm for years." Hermione said, "Why hasn't he tried anything before?"

"Pettigrew has only ever done something when there's something in it for him. Besides, is he in Harry's dorm?" Black gestured towards Joey. Hermione nodded, "Then Peter was probably too scared to do anything."

Hermione looked thoughtful and then spoke again, "Mr Black, how did you escape Azkaban if you didn't use Dark Magic?"

"Exactly my…" Pettigrew trailed off at a glare from Black and Joey.

"I don't know how I did it." Black admitted, "I think I only stayed sane because I knew I was innocent. It wasn't a happy thought so they couldn't steal it. When I saw Peter in the picture in the newspaper, I knew I had to do something, so I when I turned into a dog to escape the power of the Dementors and they opened the door to give me food, I slipped past, I was very thin then. I swam to shore and got here as fast as I could." Black looked at Harry, "You fly as well as your father did, Harry, and I believe I owe your short spiky haired friend a thanks for saving you."

Harry smiled slightly, then realised it…

"I swear; I would never have betrayed your parents. Believe me; I would have died before betraying them."

Harry nodded slowly, still uncertain, but ready to believe, for now.

"No!" Pettigrew started to weep.

"Stupefy!" Joey stunned Pettigrew, who went flying into a wall and fell to the ground, unconscious. Joey turned to Black. "He goes to Fudge."

Black growled. "Azkaban is too good for a rat like him."

"Sirius." Harry as Garoozis let go of the young wizard. "I don't think my Dad would want his friend to become a killer."

Sirius stared at Harry, then turned to Joey and nodded.

Flame Swordsman let go of Black who gave Pettigrew a vicious kick in the ribs, before going over to Harry.

"Hermione." Joey poked the teenager who stared at him blankly and then raised her wand. "Mobilus Corpus." She murmured and Pettigrew's limp form rose from the floor.

"Petrificus Totalus." Joey looked over to a very angry looking Harry, whose green eyes were flashing enough to probably even scare Yami. "Just in case." Harry murmured.

Joey nodded, called his Monsters back to his deck and moved over to Ron, who was very green and looked like he was going to pass out. "Sorry Ron, I'm not Yugi or Yami, no Mystic Box." Ron looked confused.

"I'm going to have to carry you," Joey continued, "Your leg won't take your weight even with Dien Kento's help."

"Let me…" Black trailed off, unsure of what Ron's reaction would be.

"Go on." Harry prompted.

"I'd need a wand."

Joey frowned but Harry passed him his and Black hurried over to Ron's side, "Ferula."

Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint.

"Try it now." Black said, handing the wand back to Harry.

Ron stood up and didn't wince. "Thank you." Ron nodded at Black who nodded back.

"You would be surprised how often we needed that one when we were at school."

 _If they were anything like our group, no I wouldn't._ Joey thought as he led the group out of the room, downstairs and into the passageway back to Hogwarts.


	17. Enough Loose Ends to Tie Up a Rat

"Harry." Sirius said abruptly to Harry as they made their way down the tunnel, "You know what handing Pettigrew over means, don't you?"

"You're free." Harry replied.

"Yes." Said Sirius, "But I don't know if anyone ever told you… I'm your Godfather."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, your parents appointed me as your Guardian in case anything ever happened to them…"

Harry paused, did Sirius mean what he thought he meant?

"I'll understand of course, if you want to return to your Aunt and Uncle's house." Sirius said stiffly, "But… well… think about it. Once my name is cleared… if you want another home…"

Harry felt a small explosion go off in the pit of his stomach. "What? Live with you?" Harry yelped, accidentally bashing his head. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to…" Sirius said quickly, "I understand. I just thought I'd…"

"Are you mad?" Harry's voice echoed through the tunnel, though his voice was almost as croaky as Sirius's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Joey smiled slightly at Harry's tone as he led the way, wondering what he would have done if someone had offered him a way away from his father, before stopping in shock as a light came down the tunnel at them. "Professor?" Joey asked in surprise.

"Joey, what is going on here?" Lupin demanded, before staring at the unconscious form that was behind Joey but in front of Hermione. "Pettigrew?" Lupin stared at Black. Black stared back. "You swapped?"

Black nodded, careful not to bash his head on the tunnel ceiling.

"You didn't tell me because you thought I was the spy."

"Forgive me, old friend?" Black asked.

"Of course, though I can't wait to see his reaction when he wakes up in Dumbledore's custody." Lupin grinned maliciously at Pettigrew's form and led them to the surface.

Hermione looked up at the open sky as she emerged from the hole and breathed in the fresh air. The full moon lighting the grounds up brightly… wait… full moon?

Lupin was doubled over and Black got between them and Lupin, who changed in front of their eyes, from their teacher to a…

"He's a Werewolf." Black snapped, "Get out of here." He morphed into a huge black dog.

The werewolf, however, had no interest in attacking them, and merely took a submissive posture.

Wait, Sirius!" Hermione suddenly yelled, "He's taken his Wolfsbane. He's safe!"

Sirius didn't take her word for it, and circled the Werewolf warily, who merely wagged his tail at him and let out a playful bark.

Sirius's dog form looked confused for a second (as confused as a dog can) and then let out a bark and padded towards the school.

The Werewolf got behind the group and they walked back up to the castle.

"Professor Lupin's a Werewolf." Ron said.

"Yes, so?" Harry asked, "Yami's a Pharaoh and Ombre's a Princess."

"Professor Lupin is a Werewolf…"

Hermione shook her head in amusement, this was almost as bad as Yami and 'Bakura was being nice?'

Harry could see the Dementors hovering over the Forbidden Forest and was glad that they were going to opposite direction, reaching the safety of the Main Doors and a welcome from Professor Dumbledore who seemed to gain a look of great confusion.

"Professor Lupin, I would suggest that you head for the Shrieking Shack." He said, "Minister Fudge is still around somewhere and its best if he doesn't see you out and about."

The Werewolf nodded and bounded off.

Professor Dumbledore looked carefully at the man who was being floated along behind Joey and then frowned, "Mr Wheeler, can you go and get the Minster for Magic for me? I believe he's in my office."

Joey nodded and shot into the school.

"Sirius, it would be wise for you to remain in that form for a little while longer. I cannot guarantee that the Minister will be as welcoming."

"How?" Ron asked.

"Professor Dumbledore knows everything." Harry said, Sirius barked.

"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, why don't you take your new dog to the Hospital Wing, I heard that two of your friends are up there and it looks like Mr Weasley could do with some attention from Madam Pomfrey."

"What about Pettigrew?" Harry asked.

"Set him down Miss Granger." Hermione ended the spell and Pettigrew hit the dirt. "That wasn't quite what I meant." Dumbledore sighed then cast a wordless spell, conjuring chains that weighted Pettigrew down.

"Professor he can…"

"I know. Go before Fudge comes."

"Joey cast a stunner on him." Hermione said before the three children and the dog vanished into the school.

A minute later Fudge and Joey reappeared.

"Mr Wheeler, please go and check on your friend, Mr Muto." Dumbledore said in a tone that made it clear that the others had gone there too.

Joey nodded and re-entered the school.

"Who's this?" Fudge demanded, pointing to Pettigrew, who was still led on the ground.

"Well, Minister. It seems we have a dead man in the castle."

* * *

Yugi opened his eyes to the sound of voices.

"I give up!" Madam Pomfrey was berating Ron for doing something to his leg. "It doesn't seem to matter to your group what time of night it is! Something always happens. However did you manage that in the Common Room?"

A big black dog was led by Harry's feet and Yugi decided that what ever had happened, he was going to have to get them to tell him about it.

Yugi sat up and saw Yami was just yawning and stretching himself, sitting up on the other bed. The Pharaoh looked over at his hikari and smiled slightly. Yugi returned it, his hand resting on the Millennium Puzzle on his bedside table.

Yami was waking up?

Yugi slipped the Puzzle on.

' _Why does everyone think that it's a good idea to drug me this year?'_ Yami complained.

Yugi would have answered but got the Madam Pomfrey treatment next and had to wait until the Mediwitch had stopped fussing over him and locked herself in her office before he could ask questions.

However the others beat him to the punch. "Yugi what happened with the Duel Monsters?"

"Are you alright?"

"Do you know where they've gone?"

Yami didn't ask any questions, he looked like he was waiting for Yugi's answers.

"I'm fine now, a little tired but fine. Mahado asked me to free the Dementors that Yami had sent to the Shadow Realm." Yugi quickly looked at Yami, who looked like he'd figured this out already and wasn't quite sure how to react. "I managed it, but the Shadows wanted out and I'm not a hundred percent sure what happened after that." Yugi looked puzzled, "I managed to stop the Shadows, but the Monsters went somewhere and beyond not the Graveyard, I have no clue where."

"You've been out cold for hours." Yami said softly, thinking about what he wanted to say.

"He was really worried Yuge." Joey said, "We all were."

"Yugi, I understand if Mahado told you not to tell me." Yami said. "I'm just glad you're alright." Yugi smiled properly at him this time and Yami smiled back.

"How did you do that?" Yami asked Ron as he slipped off of his own bed and sat on Yugi's.

"You won't believe that night we've had." Joey groaned. The dog thumped its tail on the floor and Harry petted it. It got up and walked over to Yugi's bed and put its front paws up.

"Alright, where'd you get him?" Yami asked as Yugi giggled at the dog's antics.

"I think we need to explain everything else first." Harry said. "Come here, boy." The dog got down and settled at his feet again. "Where do I start?"

Yugi nearly giggled again. That was how he'd started when he'd told them about the Millennium Items.

"You know Black was supposed to have killed Pettigrew and betrayed Harry's parents?" Joey dove into the heart of the matter.

Yami growled and Yugi nodded.

"Pettigrew isn't dead." Harry said.

"What?"

"He's an Animagus, a rat one." Ron looked disgusted, "He was Scabbers."

Yugi's eyes went wider then normal and Yami scowled for a second before asking, "What do you mean was Scabbers?"

"He's now in the custody of Professor Dumbledore and Minister Fudge." Hermione said quietly.

"If Black didn't kill Pettigrew…" Yugi started.

"Apparently my parents swapped Secret Keepers at the last minute," Harry said, "Sirius was the obvious choice so he knew they'd come after him. He wasn't expecting their second choice to go running to Voldemort."

"It was all Pettigrew." Yami said, understanding, "Pettigrew betrayed their group and killed all those Muggles as well as betraying Harry's parents' to Voldemort."

Harry smiled and shook his head, "I forget just how much you guys have been through, this must seem pretty normal to you both."

Yami just shook his head, even for their group… "How did you find all this out?"

"We found Scab…Pettigrew at Hagrid's hut and ran into Black when Pettigrew tried to escape the cats." Ron growled.

"Did Black escape?" Yugi asked.

Yami however was staring at the dog. "Sirius Black." He pointed to it.

Harry's eyes widened and Joey chuckled. Hermione checked Madam Pomfrey's door was still shut and then nodded.

Sirius turned back from a dog to a man.

"Mr Black." Yami nodded. Yugi attempted to get up and introduce himself properly but Black saw how pale he went and just nodded back.

"Which one of you do I owe for saving my Godson's life during that Quidditch Match?" Sirius asked.

"M…me." Yugi said. "I'm Yugi Muto."

"Thank you." Black smiled at him. Yugi smiled back. "Who are your other friends, Harry?"

* * *

"Severus, do you have the potion?" Dumbledore asked as he let the Potions Master into the room.

The man nodded and tipped the truth potion into Pettigrew's mouth, getting him to swallow before Dumbledore pointed his wand at the prisoner and said, "Renneverate."

Pettigrew woke up and looked around frantically.

"Is your name Peter Pettigrew?" Professor Dumbledore said, in a tone of voice that would worry even Bakura if he was on the other end of it. It wasn't loud, but there was power behind it that belayed his calm outer manner.

Pettigrew nodded.

"Were you Lily and James Potter's Secret Keeper?"

"Yes."

"Did Sirius Black blow up half of the street and kill innocent Muggles when trying to kill you?" Fudge asked.

Pettigrew shook his head.

"Did you blow up half of the street and kill innocent Muggles when escaping from Sirius Black?"

Another nod.

Fudge hissed, his guards, the ones he'd brought with him to look for dragons looked at each other.

"Were you a Death Eater under He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Dumbledore stepped in.

Another nod.

"Did you set Sirius Black up to take the fall when You-Know-Who fell from power?" Fudge asked.

Yet another nod.

Fudge looked at Dumbledore, who frowned and looked back at him. "Take him into custody." Fudge decided finally. "There will be a proper interrogation at the Ministry."

"Minister," Dumbledore said, "I have heard that Pettigrew is an unregistered Animagus. That's how he escaped Black before."

Fudge nodded and one of his aurors stepped forward, casting a reddish orange spell on the chained Pettigrew, who slumped forward, unconscious again.

"He won't be a problem now." Fudge said, "I'm sorry to have come on wild goose chase but obviously coming was a good thing since we found Pettigrew."

"I think you mean wild dragon chase, Cornelius." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye, "However, I need to check on some students of mine if you will excuse me."

Fudge nodded and Dumbledore left.

* * *

In later weeks there would be an investigation into how two wanted criminals had entered the school grounds, why the Dementors had not stopped them, why the teachers hadn't noticed several students entering the Forbidden Forest, and casting uncertainties onto exactly how safe Hogwarts is. Not to mention the werewolf on staff, an Animagus posing as a pet, and the amount of dangerous creatures that had entered Hogwarts under the term 'pet' or 'study aid'.

Such as 'The Monster Book of Monsters', which was Bakura's favourite book of this century. Much to everyone else's dismay. And if the books could speak, they would surely say Bakura was their favourite person, they wouldn't purr for just anyone.

Well, that wasn't exactly true, the Hufflepuff pack would purr for anyone, strangely enough it was the Hufflepuff books that got the most attention, as the Hufflepuffs had set aside part of their common room for the books, and had assigned a rota for keeping the books happy.

The Ravenclaw pack were the most antisocial, as no true Ravenclaw would condone a book that would happily tear apart other books. So their pack was kept tied up when not in use for class. Except when Bakura decided to sneak them out for a bit of fun.

The Slytherin pack would have been the smallest, if Bakura hadn't seen their potential and acquired several of the savage books. But then if a dangerous beast was on sale and Bakura happened to be in the area… well neither would be in the area for very much longer.

Draco was terrified, and for once the Forbidden Forest was pretty low down on his list. He didn't often think about how Bakura terrified him, except when confronted with Ryou. No one could be afraid of Ryou; it was like being afraid of cotton wool. But for Draco, Ryou meant Bakura which meant big trouble, so Ryou was number two on his list. Then there were the books, which had attacked Draco on several occasions on Bakura's command. Then there was the Forbidden Forest. Then there was the fact he was about to betray his father.

All in all, tonight was not a good night for Draco Malfoy, who was only not shaking like a leaf because it was likely to get him killed.

In the confusion of that evening no one would notice that a Hufflepuff and two Slytherins didn't return to their beds until the early hours of the morning. Not until weeks later.

It was not surprising when considering about a quarter of the school was up celebrating the end of exams, or having a final trip to the hospital wing. After all this trio didn't make any noise and the only trouble they caused was four missing textbooks, seven spell damaged textbooks, and it wasn't until they had left that random pages were found throughout the Forbidden Forest and floating in the lake.

It worried the investigators when they found evidence that Lucius Malfoy had met someone in the Forbidden Forest, and lost. The stolen Japanese wand had been snapped, there was blood that was identified as Malfoy's, but no evidence as to who else had been there.

It could have been anyone, but they didn't report it, and there was too much else going on that night to narrow down the traces. All that were left were guesses.

The shadows wouldn't tell.

* * *

Professor Dumbledore heard the excited whispers halt as he turned the door handle and entered the room. Six of the Gryffindor Eight were sprawled on beds in the Hospital Wing and a largeblack dog seemed to be sharing his attention between Yugi Muto and Harry Potter, though unsurprisingly Harry got the most attention.

Professor Dumbledore shut the door and turned to the group. "Pettigrew is in custody and an unofficial confession for all of Black's crimes has been submitted. Next week might be a good time to hand yourself into the Ministry, Sirius." Dumbledore looked at the dog who nodded. "Also," Dumbledore turned to Yugi, who was munching on a chocolate bar that someone had managed to procure out of thin air, "The Duel Monsters seem to be missing, was this a part of the spell you used earlier?"

Yugi shook his head, "It was an accident, but I'm not sure how to get them back."

Dumbledore frowned, "I guess I'll just have to get the hatchlings registered in the Ministry." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he looked around. "I think that after tonight's events, I will award fifty house points each to each of the Gryffindors who went into the Shrieking Shack tonight."

Harry and Ron grinned at each other. That meant an extra two hundred points for Gryffindor and pushed them back into the lead. What a night.

"And now I will leave you to Madam Pomfrey." Dumbledore left the room and everyone relaxed again.

' _Yugi.'_

" _Yes Yami?"_

' _Do you know how to hide the amount of power you have?'_

" _No."_ Yugi looked over, confused. _"Why?"_

' _Because you're practically glowing with it.'_

Yugi looked at himself and wondered what Yami saw that he didn't. _"Yami, how did I do that?"_

' _Do what?'_

" _Shut the door on the Shadows? I didn't think I had that much power."_

' _I've always said you're more powerful then you give yourself credit for.'_

" _Yes, but by that much?"_ Yugi was incredulous, _"Yami, surely we'd have felt it by now."_

Yami gave a mental sigh, _'Yugi, what do you know about Succession?'_

Yugi frowned at him, _"That it's where the rightful heir takes over the throne from its current owner."_ The hikari stared at his yami, _"Are you alright?"_

' _Remember what Shadi said? That our Destinies have changed?'_ Yugi nodded, _'I think the Shadows are preparing for the war by increasing our power and choosing who's supposed to follow on from us if we're killed.'_

" _Then the Shadows chose me to take over from you if…"_ Yugi gulped. _"But didn't Shadi say you'd return to the Puzzle?"_

' _I don't fully understand what's happened myself.'_ Yami admitted, _'Just that I guess I have a whole new bunch of lessons to teach you.'_

" _Do you think the Shadows were planning on all of this?"_

' _It wouldn't surprise me.'_ Yami shrugged, _'The Shadows do what they will in reaction to or rather pre-empting events to come.'_ The Pharaoh smirked slightly and Yugi gave him a rather confused look, _'I just don't think they expected you to turn all that new power against them when they tried to escape with the Dementors.'_

Yugi smiled for a second, then it turned to a frown, unease flowing easily through the link, _"Yami, I don't know where the Dementors went either."_

' _We can handle anything hikari, together.'_

"Hey, Earth to Muto Twins?" Joey asked, snapping them out of their conversation. "Come in Muto Twins."

Ron and Hermione were laughing and Harry looked content to just sit there with Sirius, admittedly in his dog form, but at least he was family that Harry liked, and soon to be his Guardian.

"What?" Yami asked testily.

"We were wondering if either of you had your deck on you since Madam Pomfrey seems to be of the opinion we're not allowed out of here till tomorrow."

Yugi reached for his but Yami shook his head. "Give it a day before trying anything else with your magic, Yugi." Yami said, pulling his deck out of his pocket. "Alright Joey, it's time to duel."

* * *

The gang spent the night in hospital, leaving the next day to hear the entire school's buzzing about the fact that there had been a Werewolf spotted running away from the school, by a couple of Ravenclaws who'd been looking out of a window. The fact that the sighting had been confirmed by two other groups of students, all of whom shouldn't have been out of their dorms, made the group wonder just how many people had been out and about in the school.

"What do you think was going on?" Ron asked; as they sat at the Gryffindor Table, eating breakfast the day after their release, while listening to everyone go on about the parties that had been taking place… or the pranks.

"It's Hogwarts; something mad is always going on." Kari said, still pretending to be mad at them for having an adventure without her and Ombre.

Yami rolled his eyes, and then frowned as he reached for the last bacon sandwich, which was instantly inexplicably missing.

Joey roared with laughter as Yami realised that Yugi had swiped it out from under his hand.

Harry, who was just about to load the other plate of sandwiches he'd 'borrowed' from further down the table where a group had just gotten up, into his bag to take back up to the dorm for his new 'pet dog', smiled and passed the Pharaoh one, who bit into it reflectively and watched his hikari yawn.

A huge owl, easily as big as an eagle owl landed into front of Yugi.

It had a letter tied to its ankle.

Yugi untied it and froze.

It was addressed to him, Yami and Joey and had the I2 logo on it.

"Yugi?" Ron asked at the look Yugi got.

"I'm not opening it." Yugi said quickly and with more then a little hint of fear.

"I2?" Harry asked.

"Industrial Illusions." Joey growled.

"Pegasus's company." Kari said a lot more calmly then any of the boys could have.

Harry and Ron looked at each other while Hermione started to examine her meal intently.

"I'll open it." Yami said, "That way if it's anything bad, I can defend against it."

"It won't explode, it's not a Howler." Hermione sighed, "Besides he wouldn't booby trap a letter… would he?" Hermione asked nervously.

Harry and Ron stared at her; they remembered what they'd been told before about Pegasus.

"Never mind."

Yami slipped open the letter and six tickets fell from it, along with a letter on embossed paper.

Yugi picked up the tickets as Yami read the letter.

"Tickets for three for a flight to America."

"Industrial Illusions Tournament." Yami said shortly.

"And three for a dance show?"

Another owl swooped in, this time dropping the post in front of Yugi before taking off again.

Yugi spotted one, which had been sent MMM, Muggle to Magical Mail, in a pale green envelope, and ripped it open.

"What is it?" Ombre demanded, Yugi just shushed her and carried on reading, his eyes giving away his excitement. "What?"

"Tea got a place in a Dance Show in America! She's going to be dancing in a professional show!" Yugi whooped, practically bursting with excitement.

He passed the letter to Joey who read it and then scooped up the Dance Show tickets and rolled his eyes, "How to blackmail us into coming this time, provide three tickets to go to Tea's show."

"What?" Yami scowled, passing Pegasus's letter to Yugi and taking Tea's letter and the tickets.

Yugi's excitement for his friend couldn't be quelled, as worried as he was, and his enthusiasm was contagious.

Kari and Ombre were quiet though. As used Harry, Ron and Hermione were to their friends going back to Japan, Kari and Ombre weren't looking forward to a plane ride home with only the Kaiba brothers.

Not that Kari had anything against the Kaiba brothers, but since Robyn was no longer replying to her, as hard as Kari tried to reach her, and lived here in England, Ash had practically fallen out of contact with her, Lily was unreachable, Yugi, Yami and Joey were planning on sight seeing after the tournament as long as Pegasus stayed in line, keeping them in America, the Dursleys would keep Harry under lock and key (hopefully not literally this year and if they tried it they had plans), Ron wouldn't be able to afford to keep in contact too often since international mail wasn't cheap and Hermione had plans of her own over the Summer, it felt like they were splitting up.

Ombre was also well aware that, through no real fault of anyone's, Kari's workload when they got back would be so bad that she quite possibly wouldn't see her hikari unless she went into Kaiba Corp herself.

Without the others it was going to be a long summer and Ombre wasn't sure she was looking forward to it.

Yugi caught Ombre's eyes and for a split second Ombre caught that there was something else on Yugi's mind other then Tea's dance recital, and then it was gone, replaced with the excitement that seemed to have taken a hold on all her friends.

Maybe she was thinking too much, there were always Sundays.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this Sirius?" Harry asked as they stood in Professor Dumbledore's office, the afternoon sun shining in the window, a week after they'd handed Pettigrew to Fudge, just a day and a half from the end of the school term.

Sirius had slipped through the secret passages to Hogsmead, after breakfast on the day after they'd been released from the hospital, feeling that it was unsafe to stay in the school with the Dementors around.

Harry hadn't been happy, but had understood his reasons. Even with his friends around, Harry wouldn't have liked to go up against the Dementors.

"I can't clear my name if I don't give myself up." Black looked uncomfortable. "At least Pettigrew has been caught and by now hopefully a full confession has been taken, so I might not end up in Azkaban while I wait." Harry hugged the man impulsively, then let go and looked at the ground.

Sirius ruffled his hair, "Besides Professor Dumbledore is coming with me, so…" He let it trail off. "You should go and see your friends. Go cheer Yugi up for me. He seems a little down."

"I think Yugi's tired from all the training he's been doing with Yami." Harry said thoughtfully, then smiled at Sirius. "You'll let me know how things go won't you?"

"Of course." Black grinned, "It will be my pleasure to see how many notes I can sneak past the guards."

Harry rolled his eyes and laughed.

Dumbledore came into the room. "Did you read the Daily Prophet this morning, Sirius?"

Sirius shook his head and Harry gave Professor Dumbledore a confused look.

"It seems the Ministry has admitted to having found Peter Pettigrew alive and he has admitted to blowing up the street and killing all those Muggles."

Sirius and Harry looked at each other.

"The Ministry are ready to give you a fair hearing, since Pettigrew has been found guilty of all of the charges that you were imprisoned for."

Harry grinned. "Sirius, this means…"

"I know the Ministry." Black didn't look as pleased as Harry would have thought, "Before they get me a proper hearing, they'll take forever finding the paperwork, finding Magical Witnesses, since Pettigrew blew up most of the Muggles and they memory wiped the others."

"It will take a few weeks at least before you're offically cleared, but the Ministry isn't going to send you back to Azkaban." Dumbledore smiled.

"That's great!" Harry grinned. Sirius couldn't help it, he smiled back, relief evident.

"It means you'll have to go back to the Dursleys for this summer." Dumbledore said.

Harry's shoulders sagged and Sirius looked furious. "Isn't there anyone else he can stay with? Putting him with the Dursleys is cruel and unusual!"

"It's his home for now, they still have legal custody until your name is cleared." Dumbledore said quite seriously, "He has to go back there for now."

Harry was inwardly smiling, wondering if he should tell Sirius about his planned escape routes. He decided against it with Dumbledore in ear shot, maybe once they could start exchanging letters he'd inform Sirius, if he knew how to reach him.

"Ready Sirius?" Dumbledore asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Sirius smiled at Harry, "See you soon Harry."

Dumbledore took some Floo Powder and chucked it into the fire. "Ministry of Magic."

Black and Dumbledore disappeared in a burst of green flames.


	18. Werewolves, Dementors and Dursleys, Oh No...

Professor Lupin's secret was out.

The werewolf rumours had gotten to someone and they'd spread it around the school that the Werewolf on the grounds had in fact been Professor Lupin.

The gang were relaxing around the side of the lake, taking up a large amount of space as seven Gryffindor third years, a Ravenclaw third year and a Gryffindor second year, all crashed out, even Seto Kaiba taking time away from his laptop to play a game of Wizard's Chess with his little brother.

It was sign of how much had changed that not even Joey brought up the fact the Seto Kaiba they'd known three years ago would never have done that.

With Yami and Joey discussing tactics since they'd agreed to go to the Tournament, Hermione with her nose in a book, Ron and Kari doing something to Ron's deck and Ombre interrupting them every so often and Mokuba and Kaiba playing Wizard Chess, it was a miracle Yugi hadn't woken up yet. Instead the hikari was fast asleep, on his back, in the grass.

The only one that was missing was Harry, who had gone up to see Professor Lupin before he left, telling the others to wait for him here.

Not moving meant not waking Yugi up, so Yami wasn't overly bothered about not getting to see Lupin before he left. It worried Yami slightly that Yugi was sleeping so much, but the Dementors had been sent back to Azkaban when Sirius had turned himself in, meaning it was safe to be out here again.

They'd already received one note from Sirius and some information from Dumbledore. Apparently Sirius was due a fair hearing in a matter of weeks, meaning that while Harry would have to return to the Dursleys for the first few weeks of the holidays it was quite possible that their escape plans might not be necessary since if Sirius was cleared, it was very possible for him to be given custody.

Harry joined them at the lake side, and slumped down onto the grass, his green eyes practically as blank as Yugi's were when he was talking to Yami.

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry jumped and the group laughed. Yugi stirred but didn't actually wake up.

"Knut for your thoughts?" Joey asked, tossing one to Harry from his money pouch.

"He was miles away." Ombre said with a giggle.

Harry smiled and tossed the Knut back, "Save the money Joey, I was just thinking about something Lupin told me."

"What's that?" Ombre asked.

"You remember my Patronus at the Quidditch Match?" Eight heads nodded and Yami just listened. "It took the form of a stag right?"

Again, eight nods.

"Apparently Sirius and Pettigrew weren't the only Animagi in that group." Harry said, "They all learnt so they could keep Professor Lupin company, Sirius was a dog, Pettigrew was a rat and my Dad was…"

"A stag, right?" Joey asked.

Harry nodded.

"That's not all; you know Messers Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs?"

Seven nods, one thoughtful look, "Go on."

"Pettigrew was Wormtail, Sirius was Padfoot…" Harry trailed off.

"That would make Professor Lupin, Moony…" Kari realised.

"And Harry's Dad Prongs." Yami said softly.

"They made the map?" Ombre yelped.

"Shush!" Yami scolded, but Yugi was stretching and sitting up, looking vaguely like a ruffled owl that had just woken up.

"Everything alright?" He asked, blinking at them.

Joey started to explain to Yugi as Yami gained a slightly evil look, and before anyone could say anything, he'd pointed his wand at Ombre and said something the others didn't quite catch.

Ombre's hair went blue, white and red in a union jack style.

Yami then had to run for his life as the Princess got to her feet and went to attack the Pharaoh. Harry continued to watch in amusement as Ombre managed to push Yami into the lake, getting him soaked from head to toe.

Yami's dignified glare wasn't helped by the frog that leapt off of one of the spikes of his hair.

All nine of them, Kaiba included, burst into laughter at the sight of him.

Harry remembered something Dumbledore had said, about Wizards whose lives are saved by another having a Life Debt with the Wizard who saved them.

The Head Master had mentioned life debts while talking about the fact Harry had saved Pettigrew from Sirius, and that technically Sirius owed Joey one too, since he'd stopped Harry doing anything rash.

Harry had realised, as he thought about it carefully, that this group had several between them and that was just since the first year of Hogwarts. By Harry's reckoning, Yugi, Yami and Joey had so many life debts between them that it would take millennia to sort them all out.

Harry gave up thinking about it, he didn't expect Pettigrew to keep to his Life Debt and inside the group they acted to save each others lives without thinking. It didn't matter about Life Debts, they were friends and that's what friends did.

Harry snapped back to reality when Kaiba finally beat Mokuba (he had to have been going easy on him), and proclaimed that he wanted a Duel, with Yami, right there and then.

This caused the group to scramble to the sides as Yami grinned, accepted Kaiba's challenge and pulled out his Duel Disk at the same time Kaiba did, casting the charm Kari had taught them to get them to work.

 _Where did they hide those things?_ Harry wanted to know as the duel started and curious people drifted down to the lake to watch. _Duel Disks cannot possibly fit inside their bags!_

As the thought ended, he was drawn into the duel, watching with baited breath, same as the others. Either of the Mutos verses Kaiba in a Duel was always fun to watch, even if they inevitably were hanging on tender hooks by the end.

The exam results came out the last day of term. The group had passed everything, though they still couldn't work out how Hermione had gotten to all of her exams. Ron's brother, Percy, had managed to get his top grade N.E. and Fred and George scraped a handful of O. each. Gryffindor house, meanwhile, due mostly to their spectacular effort in the Quidditch Cup, won the House Championship for the third year in a row, meaning that the end of year feast was held in a Great Hall decorated with scarlet and gold, and that the entire house had a good reason to be the noisiest they'd ever been.

Even Harry managed to forget that tomorrow meant going back to the Dursleys for possibly the last time, and not seeing his friends until September, in the festivities and laughter.

* * *

Harry was one of the last off of the coach that seemed to pull itself (Yugi, Yami, Joey, Ombre and Kari were convinced that there was something there and Harry didn't question them), and still the first of his group to approach the train, though it was a slow, 'do we have to go home now?' type of approach.

This year Harry didn't have that much to take home. Kari had put a lot of his magical things into storage with her stuff. Harry had told her she didn't have to, but Kari had insisted.

It was all part of the plans and it meant Harry's things would be safe if he had to do another runner from the Dursley household.

"It's not like we won't keep in touch this year." Yugi was saying, "I'll send letters as often as I can, and the others will keep in touch this year, won't you?"

The rest of the group instantly assured him they would for about the thirtieth time at the same time, which caused three or four of them to burst into laughter.

Abruptly the laughter stopped and Harry froze as a chill invaded the air around the Hogwarts Express.

Joey growled and Yami and Ombre pulled their respective hikaris behind them.

Then the first of the Dementors arrived, with more in tow.

Half the students fled to the safety of the train, the other half either were too scared to move, or stupid enough to try to take them on.

The Gryffindor Eight, with their Ravenclaw friends and second year Gryffindor tag alongs were somewhere in the middle. Mokuba, Hermione, Rebecca and Kari quickly moved; herding the stunned students into the train, as Yami, Yugi, Ombre, Joey, Harry, Ron and Seto faced the Dementors.

' _Yugi, get on the train.'_ Yami said, looking at his hikari for a spilt second before glaring at the Dementors, who were gaining in numbers quickly, his wand drawn.

Yugi however wasn't listening.

Yami gasped as he felt Yugi's power build up.

"Yuge?" Joey yelped.

A bright white light burst from Yugi, creating a shield around the Hogwarts Express.

Yugi half fell and Yami caught him. Yugi's eyes were half closed and glowing. "I can't hold this." Yugi murmured, "There's too many!"

The coldness was overwhelming Harry and it was only the thoughts that his friends were by his side, and that Sirius would have his name cleared soon that kept him on his feet.

"Yugi, get on the train and take the shield down." Yami practically ordered his hikari, who shrugged off Yami's help and staggered to his feet.

Harry could see patches where the light was beginning to go out.

Harry's mind raced, the light helping him focus as the Dementor's powers began to invade his mind, bringing forth the horrors of losing his parents.

"The spell is Expectro Patronum!" Harry yelled and then drew his wand. "You need to think of your happiest memory!"

Abruptly, like a tidal surge flattening a town, the Dementor's power grew too much for Yugi's shield and it failed.

Harry spared enough time to see Yugi slump against Yami.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry roared, choosing his memory and pointing his wand at the Dementors.

A huge white stag burst from the end of Harry's wand, attacking the Dementors. Yami used the distraction to get his unconscious hikari into the train safely, while the others closed ranks.

"Expecto Patronum!" Another voice roared in the distance, then another and another.

Harry's stag was joined by a wolf, a cat and a bird of some kind.

There were teachers racing down from the school to help.

Without the light, the Dementor's powers were infecting his mind, and the minds of his friends. The others tried to bring forth their own Patronus, failing because they hadn't had the lessons Harry had.

Joey surprised even himself as Kaiba keeled over and Joey caught him. Ombre sent one Dementor running with a blast of golden magic, but two more took its place.

A combination attack from Harry's stag and someone else's cat sent the last of the Dementors running.

Harry grinned, his stag cantering up to him. "Prongs?" Harry asked, his hand on its muzzle.

Then he collapsed.

Ron caught him, and nearly went down himself, glad of Ombre's assistance as the white stag vanished.

Then the teachers reached them.

* * *

_Bullies._

**_Hirutani._ **

_Losing his grandpa._

**_Bakura's Soul Card Shadow Game._ **

_Sending Joey to the Graveyard._

**_Change of Hearts._ **

_Mai's scream._

**_Panik's flames attacking their friends._ **

_Joey missing._

**_Fighting with Yugi._ **

_Yami nearly killing Kaiba._

**_Actually being willing to let Kaiba die._ **

_Pegasus's powers._

**_Trying to get Yugi to trust him again._ **

_Unsure if he could succeed._

**_Afraid to draw the last card._ **

_Playing Pegasus._

**_Yugi falling to Pegasus._ **

_Bandit Keith, under mind control, taking the Puzzle._

**_Losing contact with Yugi._ **

_Duelling alone._

**_Sensing Yugi's fear but unable to do anything about it._ **

_The Puzzle shattering._

**_Trapped in the Shadows again._ **

_Death Duel with Joey._

**_Barred from helping Yugi in a duel that could kill him._ **

_Drowning._

**_Watching Joey duel 'Marik'_ **

_Ra's anger._

**_Mai's Shadow Game with Marik._ **

_Mai losing her memories of her friends._

**_The blast from Ra._ **

_Finding out about Mai._

**_Nearly losing to Noah._ **

_Joey nearly dying._

**_Yugi bound in Shadows._ **

_Fighting Marik._

**_Yugi's scream of pain._ **

_Ra's flames._

**_Indescribable pain._ **

_Fear the attack would kill Malik too._

**_Tempted to attack to save Yugi, no matter what._ **

_The attack near the Game Shop._

**_Nearly losing Yugi because of those thugs._ **

_Joey in hospital._

**_Yugi kidnapped._ **

_Kari falling in Spirit Hearts._

**_Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon._ **

_Voldemort nearly killing Harry._

**_Yugi, too badly injured to fight off Voldemort's spirit._ **

_Too weak to fight off Voldemort's attempt to seize his body._

**_Yugi's spirit almost too weak to hold on._ **

_Sh **adi.**_

_Yami petrified._

**_The Basilisk._ **

_Harry nearly dying._

**_The Pyramid of Light trapping Yugi beyond his reach._ **

_Zombies in the Puzzle._

**_Andro Sphinx gaining power from their item._ **

_His friends nearly being crushed._

**_Anubis's transformation._ **

_Kari falling to Bakura._

**_Halloween._ **

_The Quidditch Match._

**_Fighting with Yugi again._ **

_Staying away from his friends._

**_Hitting Yugi._ **

_Not his parents._

**_Feeling Yugi's pain all the way from England while Yugi was in Egypt._ **

_Facing the Dementors alone…_

**_Yugi unconscious after fighting the Dementors._ **

_Thinking Yami had tried to attack and control him._

**_Unable to prevent his magic from attacking Yugi._ **

_Realisation that he'd been freezing Yami out for no reason._

**_Facing the Shadows alone._ **

_Thinking Black was trying to kill Harry._

**_Yugi, pale after Black's escape._ **

_Yami fainting in class._

**_Losing control and attacking Hermione._ **

_Being blasted halfway across the room by stray Shadow Magic._

**_Bakura's memories._ **

_Yami as a shadow._

**_Yugi's pain._ **

_Having to leave the Shadows… and Yami._

**_Yugi paying the price to free them from the Shadow Realm._ **

_Fighting for Boh, without help._

**_Finding Yugi and Boh fighting Slytherins and losing._ **

_Struggling to close the door to the Shadow Realm._

**_Yugi falling, his crown fading._ **

_The Monsters gone…_

**_Yugi in the hospital wing again…_ **

_The fear the Shadows would escape…_

Yami had tried slamming the door on the mind link, blocking his own pain and his own worst memories from reaching Yugi but the pain was flooding both ways.

Yugi was shielding the others, but taking the worst of the effects on himself, causing the memories to rip through the link at such a speed Yami nearly buckled himself.

Yugi nearly fell, only prevented by Yami's speed in catching him.

"Yugi, get on the train and take the shield down." Yami practically ordered his hikari, who shrugged off Yami's help and staggered to his feet.

Yami could feel it, Yugi's power slipping against the onslaught of memories.

He gave Yugi as much mental support as he could; sending his own power down the link to bolster Yugi's fading energy.

This was all wrong.

Yugi had so much power now, that he made Pegasus look like an ant.

But there were just too many Dementors and too many bad memories for the hikari to hold his grip too long.

The Dementors were feeding off the energy his hikari was shoving into the shield.

Yami felt something build up.

Then the shield, and in essence Yugi's mind, was assaulted at once by the full weight of the Dementors's powers, draining Yugi of all hope and joy and the power those feelings brought him.

Yami yanked Yugi into his soul room as Yugi collapsed, more unconscious then not.

The Pharaoh didn't have time to check his hikari over as Harry roared, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" And a huge stag shot from the wand tip.

Yami looked at Joey who nodded, and dashed, carrying his hikari, into the train, where Kari had managed to grab two compartments just for anyone injured in the fighting.

"Kari, Ombre might need you." Yami said as he led Yugi down. Kari nodded and dashed out the door, but before she got too far, Ron and Ombre led the group that had stayed outside into the train. Yami looked round and his eyes narrowed as he realised Harry was out cold too.

"Is everyone alright?" Professors Sprout and Flitwick rushed past, while Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall stopped at the door to their carriages.

"Is everyone safe?" Professor Dumbledore asked, slipping inside and nodding to McGonagall to check on the students in the other carriage.

Yami ignored him, letting him check on Harry first.

"Pharaoh, may I check on him?" Dumbledore asked.

Yami moved over slightly and Dumbledore knelt down by his side.

"They were incredibly brave, taking on all those Dementors head on like that. I'm not surprised that they passed out."

"Why did they attack?" Hermione asked shakily, "I thought that the Ministry sent them back to Azkaban when Pettigrew was caught and Black handed himself in."

"They were." Dumbledore nodded, "I will get to the bottom of this," Dumbledore said in the tone of voice that had scared Yami on more then one occasion.

Yami however was having trouble controlling his rage. He had to let the Dementors go, couldn't risk sending them to the Shadow Realm again.

He'd promised Yugi that he wouldn't no matter what happened and he couldn't risk everyone's safety again.

"Is it safe to travel via the Hogwarts Express?" Yami asked, biting his tongue.

"I will arrange for teachers to travel with the train." Dumbledore still sounded furious. "I will not take any chances that that was all of them."

The Hogwarts Express was delayed in leaving until both Yugi and Harry had woken up and been checked over by Madam Pomfrey, annoying some, relieving others and causing trouble at both ends of the track.

The train was moving and Yugi and Harry were munching on the chocolate in the rather huge pile that was on the table when something tapped on the window.

It was a small owl, tiny compared to Hedwig, with a letter that was too big for it. It kept tumbling in the air, having trouble with the slipstream.

Harry quickly got up and opened the window, catching the bird that felt like a very fluffy snitch and quickly closing it again. The owl dropped its letter at the very top of the pile of chocolate and fluttered around the carriage, apparently pleased with itself.

Hedwig didn't look impressed and the cats, Kiyoshe, Bastet, Crookshanks and Kana were watching it. Ron noticed this and snatched the owl out of harms way.

**_Dear Harry and gang._ **

**_I hope this reaches you before you split up for the summer, since it relates to all of you._ **

**_Yugi, thank you for saving my Godson. I have transferred enough money from the Black vault to cover both you and your brother for the rest of you books and equipment during your time at Hogwarts. Do not worry about the costs; the Black vault can cover it many times over._ **

Yugi and Yami looked at each other, they hadn't expected that, and that hadn't been why they'd done it, but they couldn't protest the money wasn't needed after they'd openly been discussing how many tournaments they'd need to enter to get enough money this year.

**_Harry, I didn't get a chance to tell you before, I sent the Firebolt._ **

"Ha, told you." Hermione crowed.

"Yes, but he didn't jinx it." Joey laughed.

**_Crookshanks took the order for me; I used your name but told them to take the money from my vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your Godfather._ **

**_Joey, there is enough money in the Muto vault for you too, provided you only buy books and equipment with it._ **

Joey's eyes bulged out of his head. With that much money, coming back every year wouldn't be as much of a problem as he had begun to fear it would.

**_Kari and Ombre, I didn't get a chance to meet you properly and will treat you the next time I see you._ **

**_Hermione, please find enclosed the largest voucher for Flourish and Blotts that they would give out. Since I doubt that the entire Black vault would be enough to cover all the books you read, and I'm unsure what you're looking for in all those tomes, I thought this was appropriate._ **

There was a voucher for five hundred Galleons. Hermione's eyes went bright and dreamy with the thought of all the books it could buy.

**_Ron, I know the Weasleys well, and once my name is cleared, I will be visiting your home to speak to you personally, also since it is partially my fault you no longer have a pet, I thought you might like this owl._ **

**_Enjoy the summer and I can't wait to see everyone once my name has been cleared._ **

**_Harry, enjoy tormenting the Dursleys._ **

**_Sirius Black._ **

**_PS Harry, there's something else enclosed too. It might make your fourth year a bit more enjoyable._ **

A signed Hogsmead Permission form, with Sirius's signature on it, gave Harry a reason to grin.

**_PPS It's amazing how much you can get done from behind bars when you know how._ **

Joey laughed and Yami just shook his head.

To all of their surprise, Ron held out the owl to the cats for them to sniff, "What do you think? Defiantly an owl?"

Crookshanks purred, Bastet meowed, Kiyoshe went to sleep and Kana looked like she wanted to play with it.

"Good enough for me." Ron rescued it from an overly playful Pilot Cat Kitten and grinned. "He's mine."

"Are you sure your parents won't mind looking after my cats and Yugi's owl?" Yami asked Hermione for the millionth time, as they pulled into the station.

"You can't take them to America with you, and my parents said yes ages ago." Hermione laughed. "I don't even know how you're getting Bastet to Japan." She said to Kari who grinned.

"Magical Customs is good at making sure the animal is completely free of disease in a fraction of the time it takes Muggle Animal Control, plus it helps we fly out on Seto's jet normally."

They said goodbye and headed out of platform nine and three quarters.

Being so late back, Harry half expected the Dursleys to have left, and half wished they had as Ron gave him a 'poor you look' and followed his brothers, yelling back "I'll call about the World Cup!"

"Harry, don't forget, if the worst comes to the worst, we have the escape plan." Kari murmured, and then followed Seto who actually nodded to Harry before the four heading back to Japan left the train station.

Yugi and Joey nodded and then grabbed up their bags and headed for the taxi rank, Yami gave Vernon a rather dirty glare and followed his hikari and friend with a reassuring smile to Harry.

Hermione passed him an envelope and then followed her parents out.

"What's that?" Vernon demanded, pointing at the letter in his hand, "If that's another form for me to sign…"

Harry shook his head, a plan forming "No, it's a letter from my Godfather," Harry grinned

"Godfather?" Vernon spluttered, "You don't have a Godfather!"

"Oh I do." Harry was enjoying the reaction and wondering if he was spending a little too much time with Yami, "He's a convicted murderer who's in the middle of having his name cleared, but he like to check up on me and make sure I'm alright."

Vernon Dursley looked like he was going to go bright purple as Harry followed him out to the car park. Between escape plans and possible rescue by Sirius at any point from about halfway through the summer, this summer was looking a million times better then the last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There IS a story between this one and the next but it was never finished and I'd need my co-author's permission to post it, so I appologise for any confusion caused by the start of the next story in the series on this website.


End file.
